Some people hear the word “surgery” and probably envision that a surgeon makes a large incision to reach the internal structures. It is known as conventional, open surgery.
But if you’ve been told you require spine surgery, you must realize that several procedures can now be done using minimally invasive techniques. There are many advantages of mini-invasive spinal surgery.
Let’s know what minimally invasive surgery is and why you should undergo this type of surgery if it’s right for you.
Why is minimally invasive spine surgery different from traditional, open surgery?
Rather than making one large opening, mini-invasive surgery requires much smaller incisions. Sometimes, more than one incision is needed. Specialized surgical instruments, including cameras or microscopes, let the surgeon carry out the surgery while observing the internal structures on the screen.
Open spine surgery entails the surgeon to remove or move muscles in the area to reach the spine. It can cause injury to muscles and the adjacent tissues. But with the advanced devices used in minimally invasive spine surgery, the surgeon can repair the spine with the least disruption to surrounding muscles and tissues.
Benefits of Undergoing Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
There are many notable advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery, including:
- Faster recovery from surgery: Since small damage occurs to the muscle and tissues, you’ll probably feel better within few days.
- Less pain after surgery: Similarly, less muscle injury and small incisions cause less pain.
- Shorter hospital stays: Surgeons can perform most mini-invasive surgeries on an outpatient basis, meaning you’ll go back home the same day. In certain circumstances, you may need to stay overnight for observation.
- Minimum risk of complications: During minimally invasive surgery, there is less blood loss. Smaller incisions reduce the risk of acquiring post-surgical infections.
- Minimal scarring: As the incisions are small, sometimes only half an inch large, you can get a better cosmetic result than open spine surgery.
Which procedures can be performed utilizing minimally invasive techniques?
With advancements in technology, surgeons can do minimally invasive surgery to treat various spinal conditions. These include herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and sciatica. Frequently used procedures include:
1 . Discectomy:
Your intervertebral discs work as shock absorbers within your spinal bones. They can get weakened or damaged over time, causing a part of the disc to herniate out of position. It can put stress on nerves, causing pain. A minimally invasive discectomy can be carried to remove the entire or portion of the damaged disc, thereby taking pressure off the nerves.
2. Spinal decompression:
The spinal openings can get narrow as you get older, putting pressure on your spinal cord and its nerves. It can cause pain, weakness, insensitivity, radiating pain into your neck or extremities.
A surgeon may remove a part of the lamina, the bony top of the spine. They may widen the foramina’s openings. Here, nerves go through the spinal canal to decompress the spinal cord and nerves.
3. Spinal fusion:
Surgeons perform a minimally invasive spinal fusion to relieve chronic back pain and restore spinal stability. This procedure includes a bone graft to join two separate vertebrae into one solid bone.
How will you know if you’re a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery?
Though minimally invasive surgery is usually desirable, there are rare cases where open surgery is still the preferred procedure. The best way to know if you are a candidate is to book an appointment with the spine neurosurgeon in Mumbai, skilled in minimally invasive surgery. During your consultation, you can discuss which options are available to give you long-lasting relief.