Spine Surgery
The spine or backbone consists of small bones called vertebrae arranged one on top of the other. The vertebrae contain a hole in the center through which the spinal cord passes. In between vertebrae, soft masses of tissue called intervertebral discs are present which protects the vertebrae from damage during movement. Injuries, infections, age-related changes, tumors and other disease conditions like scoliosis or ankylosing spondylitis may cause damage to the spine or the nerve roots emerging from the spinal cord. In patients who do not respond to conservative treatments like physiotherapy and medications, spinal surgery might be the only option.
In general, the goal of minimally invasive spine (MIS) surgery is to stabilize the vertebral bones and spinal joints and/or relieve pressure being applied to the spinal nerves — often a result of conditions such as spinal instability, bone spurs, herniated discs, scoliosis or spinal tumors.
As opposed to open spine surgery, minimally invasive surgical approaches can be faster, safer and require less recovery time. Because of the reduced trauma to the muscles and soft tissues (compared to open procedures), the potential benefits are:
- Better cosmetic results from smaller skin incisions (sometimes as small as several millimeters)
- Less blood loss from surgery
- Reduced risk of muscle damage, since less or no cutting of the muscle is required
- Reduced risk of infection and postoperative pain
- Faster recovery from surgery and less rehabilitation required
- Diminished reliance on pain medications after surgery
There are some common Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeries are :
- MIS Lumbar diskectomy
- MIS Lumbar Fusion
When should you consider Spine Surgery ?
The following conditions may be candidates for surgical treatment:
- Herniated or ruptured disks, in which one or more of the disks that cushion the bones of the spine are damaged
- Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves
- Spondylolisthesis, in which one or more bones in the spine slip out of place
- Vertebral fractures caused by injury to the bones in the spine or by osteoporosis
- Degenerative disk disease, or damage to spinal disks as a person gets older
