Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Minimally invasive spine surgery is a type of surgery done on the bones and structures in your spine. This procedure uses smaller incisions compared to traditional surgery. Minimally invasive spine surgery has become a standard gold technique for treating spinal complications like herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and other spinal deformities.

The technical development, which is based on light amplification stimulated by the emission of radiation, is common in minimally invasive spine surgery. As an alternative to traditional open spine surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery offers a variety of benefits, including decreased blood loss, reduced pain, less scarring and damage to surrounding tissues, and shorter hospital stays, among others.

Although MISS is a relatively safe procedure, the outcome may be unpredictable when the doctor’s skills and experience perming the procedure are questioned. If you want to explore this procedure to treat your spine complications, you will need the services of a skilled laser spine surgeon in Los Angeles, CA. At LAMIS Institute, we offer expert guidance and treatment for all our patients for the outcome of the MISS procedures.

Overview of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Los Angeles

Minimally Invasive spinal surgery is an alternative to traditional open surgery used to treat different spinal disorders. This type of surgery is performed using small incisions and thus does less harm to your muscles and tissues. The surgeon will make small incisions during the MISS procedure and then insert a tubular retractor to create a tunnel in the problem area. The doctor can then pass the tools through these incisions to work on your spine. Regardless of the type of complication you have, minimally invasive spine surgery is aimed at:

Decompression. Spinal decompression is a procedure involving the removal of tissues that compress the nerve structures of the spine. Herniated discs and bone fragments are typical examples of issues that could cause compression.
Stabilization. Abnormal movement of multiple spine segments can cause severe pain in the neck and back. Minimally invasive spine surgery helps reduce movement in the spine.

There is a wide variety of procedures performed using MISS. These procedures include microdiscectomy, foraminotomy, micro laminectomy, and microdiscectomy. Minimally Invasive spine surgery offers a wide array of benefits. However, the procedure is not suitable for everyone. If you experience serious spinal pain or suffer from a spine complication, consult with your neurosurgeon. The doctor will recommend a convenient form of treatment. In most cases, spine surgery will be the last resort when therapy and medications do not effectively treat your condition.

Disorders Treated Using Minimally Invasive Spine

Minimally invasive spine surgery involves tiny incisions and less pain and may be outpatient. Some of the spinal conditions that are treated using this procedure include:

Degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disorder is a condition that develops gradually, affecting the spine’s intervertebral discs. This condition is common among older adults and results from loss of flexibility and stiffening of the discs associated with age-related body changes. The structural modifications often cause disc herniation and can be treated using MISS.
Sciatica. Sciatica is a term used to refer to a variety of symptoms that develop when the sciatic nerve is compressed. The sciatic nerve runs from the neck through the buttock and the leg. The condition sciatica affects one side of the body, causing pain and numbness.
Herniated disc. A herniated disc, commonly a ruptured disc, occurs when the gel in the disc’s inner core breaks through to the outer layer. In addition to damaging the discs, leaking of the gen could cause inflammation and irritation of the spinal nerves leading to severe back pain.
Spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a condition that causes the narrowing of multiple nerve passageways and the spinal canal. This condition is common in older adults and is associated with numbness, pain, and a tingling sensation.
Spinal deformities. A spinal deformity is a condition characterized by abnormal curves in the spine which vary in shape and size. Normal curves in the spine occur naturally at different spinal column points. However, the curving is inconsistent with spinal abnormalities and could affect flexibility and balance.
Spinal infections. Most spinal infections develop following a surgical procedure. An infection in the spine could affect different parts like the intervertebral disc. If you experience sudden and severe pain without prior injuries, you may have a spinal infection.
Vertebral Compression Fracture. When you suffer trauma to the spine or are undergoing osteoporosis, you could experience VCF. The most common and main symptom of VCF is sudden pain, and the issue can be resolved using minimally invasive spine surgical procedures.
Spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra slides over the one beneath it. The seriousness of this condition varies depending on the severity of the slide.

Minimally Invasive Surgery Procedure

Since your vertebrae, discs, and spinal nerves run deep in the body, accessing the spine requires the movement of the muscles. Your doctor will facilitate this process by making small incisions and guiding the surgical instruments through the incisions. Several techniques are used to reduce trauma during the minimally invasive surgery:

Use of a tubular retractor. This approach involves progressive dilating of the tissues in the back to cut through your muscles. The surgeon uses tubes to maintain the muscle’s position above the spine. In some instances, the surgeon uses an endoscope focusing on the tube for easier access. The retractor is removed when the procedure ends, allowing the tissues to return to normal positions.
Placement of rods and screws. Depending on the patient’s condition, the placement of instruments like screws and rods stabilizes the spine and facilitates bone fusion. Traditional approaches for screws may require extensive muscle interference with the spine muscles. However, with MISS, the rods or screws are inserted through the small incisions without having to remove the underlying muscles. Using x-ray, guide wires are placed into the spinal vertebrae through your skin. Once the screws are in place, the temporary guiding wires are removed.
Direct lateral access routes. In cases that involve your lumbar spine, the surgeon tries to minimize the pain by racing your spine through the side of the body. In this procedure, the surgeon approaches your spine through the side where there is less muscle blockage. This procedure is performed when the patient lies on their side.
Thoracoscopic access routes. Depending on your condition, it could be reasonable to access the spine through the front portion of the thorax. The traditional spine surgery involves opening your chest through incisions which could prompt the removal of several ribs. However, minimally spine surgery through the thorax relies on small incisions through which cameras are inserted.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Hearing that you will need spine surgery is something that most people never think will happen to them. While any kind of surgery is not ideal, spine surgery has a set of difficulties. The outcome of spine surgery may have long-lasting effects on your health and life. Luckily, advancements in medical technology have increased the options for individuals with spinal complications. Minimally invasive spine surgery is an emerging trend found more convenient than open spine surgery. If you consider spine surgery, you may want to know if MISS is a good option. The following are some benefits of undergoing minimally invasive surgery:

Low risk. When compared to traditional spine surgery, minimally invasive surgery is low risk. This type of surgery uses small incisions compared to the large openings from open surgery. For these reasons, the risk of infection and blood loss is lower. In addition, the limited intrusion means that there is less muscle damage.
Cosmetically pleasing. In addition to the health benefits offered by MISS, some people opt for this type of procedure for cosmetic purposes. With few incisions, you will have less scarring on your back. After the traditional surgery, you could be left with scars that need further treatment to remove.
Easier recovery. No one wants to spend time in the hospital. With minimally invasive spine surgery, some procedures are performed, outpatient. Overall, this type of treatment is less restrictive, and recovery happens faster. If you are concerned with the pain that follows spine surgery, you will have an easy time with minimally invasive surgery.
Less traumatic. When you undergo surgery, especially to the sensitive parts of the body like the spine, you are likely to experience a certain amount of trauma. In addition to recovering from the underlying spine condition, you have to recover from muscle and tissue damage after the traditional spine surgery. However, when you undergo minimally invasive spine surgery, you will not need to worry about the pain and additional complications caused by muscle damage.
Less anesthesia. One of the common complications associated with spine surgery is allergic reactions to anesthesia. Fortunately, minimally invasive spine surgery uses less anesthesia because the incisions are small and fewer. For this reason, there are decreased instances of anesthesia-related compilations.

Complications of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Spinal surgery is a serious issue. Therefore, before you undergo the procedure, it would be wise to discuss your options with your surgeon. Although minimally invasive spine surgery is a relatively low-risk procedure, the following complications may arise:

Infections. To prevent infections at the incision point, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for use before and after the surgery.
Severe bleeding. Although slight bleeding is part of every surgical procedure, severe bleeding after minimally invasive spine surgery may indicate that something is not right.
Resurgence pain. Sometimes, the surgery may be unsuccessful. This will cause the original symptoms to recur.
Nerve damage. Despite the small incisions and deliberate maneuvering used in MISS, nerve damage may be an unfortunate possibility.
Pain in the graft area. Although it is uncommon, some patients experience consistent pain at the incision point.
Need for additional surgery. If the MISS does not solve your entire spinal complication, you may need further surgery to correct the issue.

Minimally Invasive Spine Care

Since minimally invasive back surgery only requires the surgeon to make small incisions, the time required for recovery is shorter. Unlike open spine surgery, the muscles surrounding your spine will remain intact, causing them to heal quickly. Your recovery will have fewer obstacles since the spine muscles are not affected by minimally invasive procedures. You will require two to three days of recovery, and physical therapy may be necessary to restore full motion.

After the surgery, you may experience slight pain and soreness at the incision point when you go home. However, with proper care and pain medications, the pain will improve with time. After the surgery, you will need plenty of rest before you resume vigorous activity. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy for faster recovery following a Los Angeles spine surgery. A therapist will teach you exercises that strengthen your back muscles and increase stability.

Find a Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Near Me.

Because of the rapid advancement in technology, you do not need to undergo an open spine surgery every time you experience pain or a complication in the spine. Minimally invasive spine surgery is a procedure used to treat spine infections, vertebrae compression, and other spine conditions. This procedure uses a tiny incision, meaning less blood loss and pain.

If minimally invasive spine surgery is an option for your treatment, your orthopedic spine surgeon will examine your condition and recommend the type of procedure that best suits your need. In addition to being a safe procedure, minimally invasive spine surgery offers significant benefits like less post-operative pain, speedier recovery, and a shorter hospital stay.

The outcome of a surgical procedure on your spine can change your life. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that you seek the services of a skilled neurosurgeon. At LAMIS Institute, we offer top-notch and high-tech spinal surgical services in Los Angeles, CA, to ensure the best outcome for your condition. If you or a loved one is undergoing pain, infections, or other spine diseases, we invite you to contact us today at 310-734-6088.