[aeromarkco]

Hi Spiney,
That's a vestigial muscle left over from some other time in human development i.e. Wisdom teeth.
I am sure that there are many compilations for question on how to select a spine surgeon. This site for starters as to the names.
I like the "Burton Report" a website edited by a spine surgeon which has a good article on selecting a surgeon.
There is also a "Best Doctors" service nationally that has referral services based on peer review data.
Good Luck,
Mark