Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD's portrait
Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurosurgery
Rush University Medical School
Chicago, IL

About Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD

Dr. Richard G. Fessler is a Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery at Rush University Medical School in Chicago.

Dr. Fessler completed his Medical Doctorate with honors, and he did surgical and neurosurgical residencies at the University of Chicago. In addition to surgical training, Dr. Fessler completed a Doctorate of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Physiology, and a Masters of Science in Psychology. Continuing education after earning doctoral degrees, Dr. Fessler held research fellowships at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Neurological Surgery and Psychiatry. The Chicago Surgical Society honored Dr. Fessler with the Excellence in Surgical Research award.

Dr. Fessler has made significant contributions to endoscopic and microendoscopic surgical developments. The Kambin Foundation awarded Dr. Fessler the annual research award for his research in the field of minimal invasive spinal surgery.

Dr. Fessler is a member of the International Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Lumbar Spine Study Group, Neurosurgical Society of America, and Selby Spine Society.

A prolific author, Dr. Fessler has written books and contributed book chapters to medical texts. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented numerous papers at peer-reviewed symposiums. He is frequently invited for speaking engagements and visiting professorships worldwide.

 

Publications

Click here to view Dr. Fessler's publications.

Articles Written by Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD

Lumbar Discectomy: Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Back pain and sciatica may result from a herniated disc. Learn what happens when a disc ruptures and what non-surgical and surgical treatments are available.

Low Back Pain Diagnosis

5 steps to a lower back pain diagnosis: What will the doctor do to find out what's causing your pain? Article written and reviewed by spine surgeons.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treated Using Minimally Invasive Microsurgical Techniques

Read this article from spine surgeons on microendoscopic laminectomy, a minimally invasive spine surgery option for spinal stenosis. Should you have it, or open spine surgery?

Lumbar Discectomy: Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

This article gives a step-by-step overview of what happens during lumbar microdiscectomy surgery, which is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure used to treat herniated discs.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: Lumbar Discectomy

Post operative care and what to expect at home following a Micro Endoscopic Discectomy (MED) procedure for treatment of a herniated disc.

Video: Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease

Dr. Richard Fessler, a neurosurgeon and proponent of minimally invasive surgery, discusses the various types of surgeries.

Pre-operative Steps to Spinal Surgery

In this article, you will learn about the pre-operative steps to help you prepare for your procedure.

Vertebroplasty: A Case Study

Compression fractures (osteoporosis) may be treated using a procedure called vertebroplasty. This article helps patients to know what to expect and includes a case study.

Video: Microendoscopic Spinal Surgery

Dr. Richard Fessler, a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery, explains the various techniques. He discusses microendoscopic spinal surgery in this video.

Lower Back Pain Treatments

Lower back pain treatments overview from a spine specialist: medications, physical therapy, and spine surgery. What will help with your low back pain?

Common Terms for Degenerative Disc Disease

Dr. Richard Fessler, a neurosurgeon, reviews several common terms you may hear your doctor use when talking about degenerative disc disease. This short video will help you be an informed patient and more fully understand your condition.

Case Studies Presented by Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD

Competitive Equestrienne: Incapacitating Low Back Pain

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
Case about a 32-year-old female equestrienne with incapacitating low back pain unresponsive to non-surgical care.

Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease: History of Low Back Pain

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient is a 62-year-old make with a three year history of low back pain that prevents normal activities. Although leg pain is minimal, it is increased with activity and decreases when lying down

Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease in a Basketball Player

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
This young man's chances for a professional career as a basketball player is jeopardized by low back pain.

Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease in a 37-year-old Male

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient previously underwent lumbar microendoscopic discectomy two years ago and was doing very well until he fell down a flight of stairs.

Constant, Nonradiating Low Back Pain

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
Although the patient has reported intermittent low back pain during years past, now her pain has become constant but does not radiate.

Lumbar Degenerative Scoliosis in a 69-year-old Female

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient is a 69-year-old Asian female who presents with progressively more severe low back pain.

T5 Burst Fracture from MVA

Can the patient ever return to farming?
Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient is a 52-year-old female. Six months before presenting in the clinic, she was involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA). She now can’t work her farm because of her back pain.

Severe Back Pain with Radiation Around Right Abdomen

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
Spine case from Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD, a neurosurgeon: The patient is a 39-year-old male who presents with severe back pain that radiates around right abdomen to just below the navel.

Gait and Balance Difficulties in a 76-Year-old Male

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient is a 76-year-old male whose gait is broad-based and unsteady; he cannot tandem walk.

Cervical Degenerative Disease

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
This 67-year-old male presented with neck pain with mild radiation into both shoulders. He had slight difficulty with tandem gait.

Cervical Radiculopathy: Classic Case?

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient is a 45-year-old male with a 3-month history of neck, shoulder and arm pain.

Neck Pain with Radiation into Right Radial Arm

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
How would you treat this? The patient is a 43-year-old female with neck pain with radiation into the right radial arm, thumb and first finger, and ulnar forearm into small and ring finger. Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD, presents this spine surgery case.

Foreign Diplomat with Neck Pain and Right C6 and C7 Radiculopathies

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
A 59-year-old male who is a foreign diplomat presents with neck pain and right C6 and C7 radiculopathies.

Left C5-C6 Foraminal Disc Herniation

Presented by: R. Fessler MD, PhD
The patient is a male over 60 years of age, who reports that he had an episode of extremely severe right arm and hand pain beginning approximately 3 months ago. That pain was initially treated with a collar and pain medication but, with no relief. Epidural injections were then attempted and did provide temporary pain relief.

Articles Reviewed by Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD

Slideshow Herniated Disc Slideshow

Facts about a Common Spinal Disorder

This slideshow provides quick facts and useful information about herniated discs. Learn the stages of disc herniation, along with some of the unlikely causes and effective treatments for this common spinal disorder.

AST-OPC1 Stem Cell Therapy May Offer New Hope for Spinal Cord Injury

An investigational treatment called AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) may give new hope to people with a recent spinal cord injury.

Are You Ready for Surgery?

You need to prepare for surgery just as much as your surgeon does. You are about to enter one of the most important athletic contests of your life. Dr. McLaughlin explores how you can prepare for your spinal surgery.

Charité Artificial Disc and Degenerative Disc Disease

Although conventional treatment for a severely degenerated disc is spinal fusion, artificial disc replacement is becoming an alternative option.

Financial Disclosures

SpineUniverse, a Remedy Health Media, LLC website, is committed to ensuring that the medical information it presents is accurate, balanced, objective, and trustworthy.

To help achieve this goal, SpineUniverse requires all authors, editors, and reviewers to disclose any financial relationships or affiliations they have with companies whose products or services may be mentioned in the content they author, edit, or review.

The intent of this policy is to identify any perceived, potential, or real conflicts of interest so that readers can make their own judgments about the value of information being presented.

Author's Statement

I, or an immediate family member, have a financial interest(s) or affiliation(s) with the following commercial companies whose products and / or services may be mentioned in the materials I have authored, edited or reviewed for presentation on Remedy Health Media, LLC’s websites.

Disclosed Relationships

Research Support
Medtronic
Consultant/Independent Contractor
Medtronic, Stryker
65 Little Ways to Live Happier & Healthier in the Time of Corona
Sign up for our newsletter, and get this free sanity-saving guide to life in the time of corona.
Sign Up
×
SHOW MAIN MENU
SHOW SUB MENU
Cancel
Delete