Conditions Treated with Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: Herniated Discs, Spinal Stenosis, and More

Back pain can significantly disrupt your daily life. You've probably had numerous appointments with healthcare providers, trying various treatments that haven't addressed the root cause. The idea of surgery can be scary, but minimally invasive spine surgery might be an attractive option for those seeking effective and less invasive treatments. Let’s explore the benefits of this cutting-edge surgical technique.

Find Definitive Solution for these Spine Conditions with Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:

• Herniated discs occur when the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through a crack in the tougher exterior casing, causing pain, numbness, or weakness. MISS, particularly microdiscectomy, can effectively remove the herniated part of the disc, relieving pressure on the spinal nerves and reducing symptoms.
• Spinal stenosis, which involves the narrowing of the spinal canal and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, leads to pain, numbness, and muscle weakness. MISS techniques such as laminectomy or laminotomy can remove small portions of bone or tissue, creating more space in the spinal canal and alleviating pressure.
• Degenerative disc disease is another condition where MISS can be beneficial. As we age, our spinal discs can wear down, causing chronic pain and reduced mobility. MISS can address this through disc replacement or spinal fusion, which stabilize the affected area and reduce discomfort.
• Scoliosis, an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, can cause pain and discomfort. MISS offers minimally invasive spinal fusion or scoliosis correction procedures to straighten and stabilize the spine.
• Spinal tumors, which are abnormal growths within or around the spinal cord, can be benign or malignant. MISS allows for tumor resection or biopsy with minimal disruption to surrounding tissues.
• Vertebral compression fractures, often due to osteoporosis, cause severe pain and reduced spinal mobility. Minimally invasive spine surgical procedures such as vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty stabilize the fracture by injecting bone cement into the affected vertebra.
• Spondylolisthesis, where one vertebra slips forward over the vertebra below it, leads to back pain and nerve compression. MISS can provide spinal fusion or other stabilization techniques to prevent further slippage and relieve nerve pressure.

There Are Substantial Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:

• Reduced Pain is achieved through smaller incisions, resulting in less postoperative discomfort.¹
• Faster Recovery with patients often experiencing quicker healing compared to traditional open surgery.²
• Minimal Scarring with smaller incisions leading to less noticeable scars.³
• Lowered Risk of Infection due to reduced size of the incision, making minimally invasive spine surgery a safer option for many patients.⁴

At the Spine Clinic of Oklahoma City, we specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery for the best possible outcomes. We offer personalized treatment plans to help you get back to activities you enjoy as soon as possible.

AUTHOR: Dr. Brett Braly is a board-certified fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal surgery. Dr. Braly is a leading advocate for minimally invasive techniques in spine surgery. Dr. Braly is named among the top “20 under 40” best spine surgeons by the North American Spine Society.

Reference:

1. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/minimally-invasive-spine-surgery

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7595822/#b4-asj-2020-0384

3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00701-011-1023-4

4. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/8/2410