Minimally Invasive Back Surgery

Traditionally, spinal surgeries have been performed as “open back” procedures where a large incision through the muscle is necessary to gain access to the spine and perform the procedure. Minimally invasive spine surgery involves several smaller incisions. The surgeon is aided by advances in medical imaging, surgical techniques, instrumentation and equipment. This significantly reduces damage to soft tissues while still accomplishing certain procedures typically done with open back surgery.

Potential benefits of minimally invasive back surgery are:

• smaller surgical incisions
• less soft tissue disruption and damage to spinal muscles
• less blood loss
• reduced risk of infection
• reduced scarring
• a reduction in post-operative pain
• a shortened hospital stay
• a faster recovery

The Latest Technology

Cutting edge spinal instrumentation has made it possible to use laparoscopic techniques which use small incisions far from the actual site of the injury to accomplish a repair. “Mini-open” surgeries also prove less invasive than traditional approaches while still allowing doctors access and visibility to the surgical site and accomplishing positive results.

Aiding these procedures is the development of technological computer advances, for superior imaging capabilities, and scientific biological breakthroughs, such as biological bone growth enhancers, all of which continue to make minimally invasive procedures even more effective.

Minimally Invasive Options

There are many procedures done as minimally invasive surgery today, but three of the most common are:

• Lumbar diskectomy, to remove a degenerated disc
• Lumbar fusion, to provide additional stability through the spinal fusion of two vertebrae
• Spinal decompression, to remove bone or tissues directly putting pressure on nerves or nerve roots

Recovery From Minimally Invasive Surgery

Recovery from minimally invasive surgery is expected to be better than with traditional surgeries. Hospital stays are generally shorter--as little as two to three days. Pain is also expect to be less because there is less soft tissue disruption, though your doctor will help you with pain management for the discomfort you experience. In the case of spinal fusion, it will still take several months for the bone to harden and achieve full strength.

Request a consultation on minimally invasive back surgery with the Los Angeles spine doctor at Hunt Spine today.