How can minimally invasive spine surgery help you?

A minimally invasive surgery is a procedure which is carried out by entering the body through a body cavity or through the skin but with least damage to these structures. The procedure makes use of technologies and surgical aides such as endoscopes and minimal access ports which were not available until recently.

Benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery

A normal spinal surgery usually comes with quite a few risks like post-operation pain, incision scars, loss of blood, and risk of soft tissue getting damaged and so on. But when one opts for a minimally invasive spinal surgery, the risks are much lower. If you decide to go for a minimally invasive or minimal access spinal surgery, there are a lot of benefits like not having a huge ugly scar on one’s body. The pain accompanied with this type of surgery is much less; so is the risk of causing tissue damage or blood loss. The patient doesn’t have to stay in the hospital for many days and the recovery period is much shorter as compared to a normal spine surgery. There is also a significantly reduced risk of infection.

Risks of minimally invasive spine surgery

Just like any other surgical procedure, there are a few risks associated with a minimally invasive spine surgery. Deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, cerebrospinal fluid leak, bleeding or even pain due to surgery may be experienced by the patient. There is also the occasional possibility of there being an injury to the nerves or spinal cord; as well as some injury/pain caused if the instrument breaks or dislodges the surrounding tissues. If some serious complication arises during the surgery, the surgeon may also decide to convert the minimally invasive surgery to a traditional surgery.

Different types of minimally invasive spine surgery

This surgery can be of two types-endoscopic or fluoroscopic. The fluoroscopic surgery will make use of a portable X-ray machine, placed in a way that the surgeon gets the best X-ray view of the spine. An endoscopic procedure, on the other hand, uses an endoscope (thin telescope-like instrument). Of the two, the endoscopic method is more commonly used. The procedure makes use of specialized video cameras and other instruments which are passed through small openings or incisions made on the body of about 2cm, to access the spine. To give an internal view of the patient’s body, the endoscope which is attached to a small video camera is placed in through these incisions. Then surgical instruments are passed through the incisions. After the operation, these small incisions are sutured and covered with surgical tape.

This procedure is encouraged for those who have spinal problems like, degenerative disease, trauma, spinal tumors, compression fractures, deformity, spinal stenosis or herniated discs. However, proper evaluation of the patient is very important. Not everyone is a suitable candidate for a minimal access spinal surgery.