Minimally invasive spine surgery
This is a surgery that uses advanced tools and techniques to rectify spinal problems with minimal damage to the surrounding tissues and muscles. Advantages include: Less muscle damage
- There would be less blood loss.
- Lower risk of infection
- Quick recovery time
- Reduced intake of pain medications
This procedure can be used to the correct a variety of a spinal problems, including:
– Degenerative disc disease
– Herniated discs
– Spinal deformities
– Spinal infections
– Spinal stenosis
What Is a Minimally invasive spine surgery?
Minimally invasive spine surgery is a sophisticated procedure that achieves correction of spinal problems with minimal deviation to tissue and muscles. The intended aims of the technique are to:
1. Cause the least amount of the tissue disruption
2. Maximize blood loss reduction
3. Minimize risk of infection
4. Shorten length of recovery period
5. Limit use of pain medication
Minimally invasive spine surgery techniques are achieved by making fewer incisions, typically 1-2 inches long, with instrumentation, which may include
1. Tubular retractors
2. Endoscopes
3. Microscopes
4. Laser technology
5. Navigation systems
This method may be used for the management of many spine conditions such as the ones given below.
1. Herniated discs
2. Degenerative disc disease
3. Spinal stenosis
4. Scoliosis
5. Spinal fractures
6. Spinal tumors
7. Spinal infections
The goal of minimally invasive spine surgery is to ensure that there is proper treatment with little interference in the body so that recovery time and returning to normal activities can take place much sooner.
Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:
- Smaller incisions: Reduced scarring and quicker healing.
- Less muscle damage: The surgeon moves muscles and tissues aside instead of cutting through them, leading to less post-operative pain.
- Reduced blood loss: Less bleeding during surgery.
- Faster recovery: Shorter hospital stays or quicker return to normal activities.
- Lower risk of infection: Smaller incisions reduce the chances of post-surgical infections.
- Less pain: Post-operative discomfort is typically less than with traditional open surgery.
Conditions Treated with MISS:
Minimally invasive techniques are used to treat a variety of the spinal conditions, including:
- Herniated Discs: A portion of the disc that presses on a nerve can be removed using small instruments.
- Degenerative Disc Disease: Surgeons can remove damaged discs and replace them or fuse the vertebrae.
- Spinal Stenosis: By removing bone or soft tissue that is compressing nerves, minimally invasive techniques can create more space in the spinal canal.
- Spondylolisthesis: Minimally invasive fusion techniques are used to the stabilize the spine.
- Spinal Tumors: Some tumors can be removed using MISS techniques, especially those located near the spinal cord.
- Spinal Fractures: Procedures like vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, which involve injecting bone cement into fractured vertebrae, are often done with minimally invasive approaches.
Types of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:
- Microdiscectomy:
– Used to remove a portion of a herniated disc that is pressing on a nerve.
– A small incision is made, and a microscope or endoscope is used to visualize the disc. - Laminectomy:
– Involves removing part of the vertebra (the lamina) to the relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
– A smaller incision is used, and the procedure is performed through a tubular retractor. - Spinal Fusion:
– Minimally invasive techniques can be used for spinal fusion, where small incisions are made to insert screws, rods, or grafts to stabilize the spine.
– Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) and Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF) are commonly performed minimally invasive spinal fusion techniques. - Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty:
– Both procedures are used to treat compression fractures caused by conditions like osteoporosis.
– A needle is inserted through a small incision, or bone cement is injected into the vertebra to stabilize it. - Endoscopic Spine Surgery:
– A tiny camera (endoscope) is inserted through a small incision to visualize the spine.
– The surgeon uses specialized instruments to operate on the spine, guided by the images provided by the endoscope.
How Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is Performed:
- Small Incisions: Instead of a large incision, one or more small incisions (usually less than 1 inch) are made.
- Dilation of Tissue: The surgeon uses a series of tubes, known as tubular retractors, to gently separate the muscles and tissues, creating a pathway to the spine without cutting the muscles.
- Microscopes and Endoscopes: Specialized cameras and magnification tools allow the surgeon to see detailed images of the spine on a monitor, providing enhanced precision.
- Instruments: Special tools are inserted through the retractors to perform the surgery, such as removing damaged discs, fusing vertebrae, or decompressing nerves.
- Imaging Technology: Real-time imaging, such as fluoroscopy or X-rays, guides the surgeon throughout the procedure.
Risks and Complications:
Although MISS offers many benefits, it still carries some risks, including:
- Infection: As with any surgery, there is a risk of infection, though it is reduced with smaller incisions.
- Bleeding: There may be minimal blood loss during surgery.
- Nerve damage: There is a small risk of damaging nerves, which could lead to numbness, weakness, or pain.
- Spinal fluid leak: A potential complication, especially during procedures near the spinal cord.
What procedures Minimally invasive spine surgery?
Minimally invasive spine surgery offers a multitude of procedures to correct spinal problems with minimum tissue disruption. Some of a most common procedures include:
1. Discectomy: It relates to the removal of herniated disc tissue.
2. Laminotomy/ Laminectomy: It is about partial and complete removal of the bone, mostly known as the lamina, which relieves pressure on the nerves.
3. Foraminotomy: This procedure enlarges the neural foramen in an effort to relieve pressure on nerves.
4. Facet fusion: This procedure helps stabilize the facet joints to alleviate pain and inflammation.
5. Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty: Stabilization of the vertebral body with bone cement.
6. Spinal fusion: Stabilization of two or more vertebrae using a bone graft or instrumental.
7. Artificial disc replacement: Replacing an ineffectual disc with an artificial one.
8. Minimally invasive spinal fusion: Stabilization of two or more vertebrae using small incisions and instrumentation.
9. Endoscopic spine surgery: Use of endoscopy for visualization and treatment of spinal condition.
10. Laser spine surgery: Surgery by laser technology to remove tissue or alleviate pain.
These procedures are used in several spinal conditions such as spinal stenosis, scoliosis, and herniated discs, among others. The procedure is determined by the expertise of the surgeon and the patient’s condition.
At our Neurosys Multispeciality Center, we perform several key procedures including Craniotomy, which is primarily for the excision of brain tumors; V-P Shunt Surgery for treating hydrocephalus; surgeries for epilepsy; and operations targeting brain stem glioma. Beyond these, we offer a range of other neurosurgical services. If you have any questions that are not answere, please contact us through our Contact Us or Book your Appointment.