Andrew Milby, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery. He sees patients at Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center – Smyrna, and Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center – Atlanta. Dr. Milby stresses to his patients that surgery isn’t always the answer for spinal conditions. It’s best to try conservative treatments first and recognize that, just because other treatments have failed to control symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean that surgery will solve the problem. Good communication between patient and doctor is essential when deciding if surgery is the right option and to help patients have realistic goals. He strives to give patients full details of what they can expect with surgery, good and bad, so they go into their operation with their eyes wide open. Dr. Milby, a fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, sees adolescents through older adults. He operates on all areas of the spine — cervical, thoracic and lumbar — and has special interests in surgery for spinal deformities such as scoliosis as well as cervical myelopathy (spinal cord compression in the neck) Lessening people’s pain, improving their function and helping them enjoy a better quality of life provide the most joy in his work. He’s especially happy when patients report functional improvements, like walking farther than they could before surgery or being able to travel with their family.