Outpatient Spine Surgery

Advances in spine surgery make it possible to undergo surgery on an outpatient basis rather than requiring several days in the hospital. Minimally invasive spine surgery offers many advantages over traditional open surgery, which requires accessing the spine by cutting through muscles.

Man and woman hiking in the hills with backpacks on

Advanced Robotic-Assisted Spine Surgery

With next-generation technologies and specialized surgical instruments, the area to be treated is accessed through shorter incisions. Robotic-assisted spine surgery allows the surgeon to access the treatment area without the need to place large incisions through muscle, causing far less trauma and tissue damage.

Minimally invasive, same-day spine surgery

Outpatient spine surgery is performed in a hygienic medical environment with smaller incisions. It involves the use of specialized technology, imaging, and surgical instruments. The area to be accessed for treatment is visualized in real-time on monitors, allowing the surgeon to guide the instruments with precision.

What spine surgeries can be performed on an outpatient basis?

Many spine surgeries that once required several days or longer in the hospital can now be performed on an outpatient basis at Hunt Spine. These surgeries include:

Disc replacement surgery
Spinal fusion surgery
Cervical discectomy, fusion
Spinal stenosis surgery
Spondylolisthesis surgery
Degenerative disc disease surgery
Disc arthroplasty

What is the outpatient spine surgery experience?

Outpatient spine surgery is often performed with local anesthesia and intravenous sedation without the need for general anesthesia.

The patient will feel calm and relaxed during the procedure and will not experience any pain or discomfort but will be in a “twilight sleep,” able to respond to the doctor during surgery. Depending on the procedure, the patient will be lying on the back, side, or stomach. The incisions are meticulously placed, guided by real-time X-ray images on a monitor.

Specialized instruments are then placed to move the muscle tissues aside for access to the spine. This approach reduces the damage to the muscles and soft tissues, allowing for a safer procedure and faster recovery. An endoscope, a thin tube with a camera on its end, is inserted into the incision, delivering images to the monitor. The surgery is performed with specialized, smaller instruments. When the surgery is complete, the surgical instruments are removed, the tissues return into place, and the incisions are closed and bandaged.

What are the benefits of outpatient spine surgery?

The benefits of undergoing spine surgery on an outpatient basis include:

Shorter incisions
Less pain medication required
No need for general anesthesia
The patient recovers in the comfort of their own home
Less risk of blood loss or infections
No need for a blood transfusion
No need for a breathing tube
Faster recovery
Shorter scars
Reduced need for pain medications
Minimally invasive
Reduced cost – no hospital bills

Are you a candidate for outpatient spine surgery?

Candidates for outpatient spine surgery are generally healthy or normal weight and do not smoke. And have a family support system they can call upon to help during recovery at home. If you suffer from chronic back pain and require surgical intervention, Hunt Spine in Los Angeles is widely recognized as being among the best in the region and beyond, with many patients flying into LA from Asia and the Middle East for outpatient spine surgery performed by Dr. Hunt.

Why choose Hunt Spine?

Dr. Leonel Hunt is a leading, board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon in Los Angeles. His professional career includes serving as an attending surgeon at the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center and Cedars-Sinai Orthopedic Center. He is among the most respected spine surgeons practicing in the region. Hunt Spine was founded with a philosophy of care in which every patient is treated as an individual. Many patients can achieve relief from back pain with alternatives to surgery. The medical team at Hunt Spine works with physical therapists, massage therapists, and other professionals, but when surgery is necessary, it will be performed by one of the most respected back surgeons in the area and beyond, Dr. Leonel Hunt. Patients from every walk of life and of every age are welcome at the practice, and many types of health insurance are accepted, including major PPO plans, some HMO plans, and Medicare.