What is minimally invasive spine surgery?
Minimally invasive spine surgery, also known as endoscopic spine surgery, involves using the same parameters as open surgery but with as little aggression as possible. One of the biggest problems of spinal surgery is the multiple incisions that must be made to reach this part of the body and, therefore, the subsequent scarring, the great loss of blood and the long duration of the interventions. For this reason, minimally invasive spine surgery is increasingly resorted to, whenever possible, since the sequelae it causes are smaller, the scars are smaller, the damage to the muscle masses is minimal, and it achieves a rapid recovery of the patient. In addition, the results obtained in this type of surgery are equal to those of traditional surgery. For all these reasons, minimally invasive spine surgery is the most recommended for patients who have the appropriate characteristics to be able to perform it.
The results obtained in this type of surgery are equal to those of traditional surgery.
Why is it performed?
It is always good to individualize each case and study the patient’s history in order to assess the operation that best suits him/her. The advantages are multiple and surgical treatment is recommended when there is neurological injury, there is a loss of strength or there are alterations in sensitivity. It is also performed in patients in whom the degree of pain is very high and does not subside with medical treatment.
What does it consist of?
The surgery consists of making a small incision of about 15 mm, where the cannula will be placed. Inside this cannula, an optic will be placed that allows to enlarge and magnify the working field, so it is not necessary to perform large dissections in order to access the patient’s spine during the operation.
Preparation for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
The patient will be admitted to the hospital in the morning, and during the same morning the operation will be performed. The hospital stay after the operation is one day to assess the outcome of the surgery. The following day the patient is discharged from the hospital and can go home.
Care after the operation
After leaving the hospital, the patient can lead a normal life, with the limitations that spinal surgery entails, since discomfort may appear. For this reason, sports activities and aggressive physical exercise are not recommended. Patients usually follow these guidelines, especially during the first weeks. Between 6 and 12 weeks they can resume any type of physical activity. In addition, the short-term results are very satisfactory for most patients, since they are able to walk the day after the operation.
Alternatives to this treatment
Minimally invasive spine surgery is one of the newest treatments in the field of spine surgery. There are other types of treatments such as open spine surgery, which is performed to correct back pain, especially when a herniated disc compresses a nerve root and other non-surgical treatments have failed. This technique is used when minimally invasive surgery cannot be performed due to anatomical conditions. There is another technique, called percutaneous spine surgery, which consists of making implants in the back by making minimal incisions and dilating the tissues, without dissection or having to detach them. It is performed through a tube progressively dilating the tissues and placing the implant in the vertebral bone. In this way the tissues are not injured and the patient can walk almost immediately. For more information about this or other treatments you can consult with a specialist in Neurosurgery.