What is minimally invasive spine surgery?
It’s a philosophy that reaches the goals of symptom relief with a shortened recovery and the least amount of surgical tissue damage.
These techniques involve small incisions, placing custom retractors to push muscle and skin away, using small instruments to meticulously reach the goal of surgery.
Sometimes a microscope is used to help with visualization during surgery.
Advantages of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:
Less Pain. Less Blood Loss. Smaller Scars. Lower Infection Risk. Shorter Hospital Stay. Quicker Bounce Back After Surgery. Less Tissue Damage. Less Anesthesia.
Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Endoscopic surgery involves using a narrow tube with the assistance of a camera. Through this tube, special instruments are inserted to reach the goals of surgery.
Often, this procedure is reserved for special types of nerve compression from bone and/or disc.
Interbody Fusion
Placing spacers in the vertebral column from the front, side, or back through small incisions allows for improved realignment, higher fusion rates, and greater space around the nerves for pain relief.
Robot Navigated Surgery
The use of computer guided navigation during surgery allows less tissue damage and dissection to accomplish accurate placement of instruments and hardware.
This is accomplished by using live 3-D imaging, special computers, guiding machines, markers on the body as reference points, and special instruments to help with surgery.
Disc Replacement
A disc replacement is a motion-sparing procedure that implants a mobile device allowing your disc space to move while creating room for nerves. The goal is to preserve motion while reducing pain. This procedure is done via a “muscle-sparing approach,” affording complete preservation of muscles in the surgical area.
Risks of Surgery
There is no surgery without risks. They include but are not limited to: bad reaction to anesthesia, surgical site infection, prolonged pain, nerve injury, spinal fluid leak, and the need for additional surgery.