The spine is the main pillar of the body, and the spinal cord is the electrical wire that connects the brain to the limbs. If this vital organ is functionally impaired or damaged, it may become difficult to stand or even sit, significantly impacting daily life.

The Spine and Spinal Cord Center was newly opened in the medical support department of Fukuoka University Hospital on April 1, 2025.

At our center, we treat a wide range of acute and chronic spinal and spinal cord diseases, including not only degenerative spinal diseases, but also osteoporotic vertebral fractures, spinal and spinal cord tumors, metastatic spinal tumors, and spinal and spinal cord trauma. For spinal and spinal cord diseases, a comprehensive pathological diagnosis is required rather than a specific diagnosis, and early and accurate pathological diagnosis and selection of appropriate indications for treatment are necessary. We hold a spine and spinal cord group conference every week, where we comprehensively diagnose the condition of not only hospitalized and surgical cases, but also difficult outpatient cases based on neurological findings and imaging findings (XP/MRI/CT-myelography), and discuss oral medication, block therapy, and surgical treatment according to the condition.

The number of spinal and spinal cord surgical procedures performed at our hospital is increasing year by year, exceeding 160 cases in 2024. To meet this need, we have brought together multiple spine and spinal cord specialists to create an organization that allows us to provide more accurate, multidisciplinary medical care. With the establishment of this center, patients will be able to clearly see which medical department they should visit, eliminating the need for them to visit multiple medical institutions. This will also facilitate smoother referrals from local medical institutions, contributing to improved convenience for patients. In addition, we will also focus on the early detection and prevention of spinal and spinal cord diseases, and will conduct regular checkups and awareness-raising activities for high-risk groups.

Going forward, we plan to expand the scope of the conference to allow for comprehensive management with other departments, and to actively invite participants from not only our own hospital but also other hospitals, with the aim of creating a place where we can all study together the diagnosis and treatment of spinal and spinal cord diseases for surgery.

By building close ties with local medical institutions and establishing a structure that can respond quickly to spinal and spinal cord diseases that require emergency treatment, we will also contribute to the development of local medical care.