When physical therapy, medication, or other conservative techniques cannot treat back pain, your doctor may recommend spine surgery. If you’ve been told you need to have spine surgery, you may have some questions. Does spine surgery hurt? Will I take a long time to recover? Is it safe?
The answers to these questions will depend on what kind of surgery you need for your back condition. There are many kinds of spine surgery that orthopedic surgeons can perform. However, our orthopedic surgeons generally prefer performing minimally invasive spine surgery whenever possible.
What is minimally invasive spine surgery?
Minimally invasive spine surgery includes techniques that do not require large incisions through the muscles and soft tissue. These techniques often use arthroscopic tubes with cameras attached at the end to give the surgeon a view of the operation. The surgeon can perform the procedure using tiny surgical instruments that fit through the tube.
Some frequently performed types of minimally invasive spine surgery include:
- Discectomy
- Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
- Minimally invasive spinal fusion
- Kyphoplasty
- Vertebroplasty
The advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery
There are many reasons why our surgeons prefer to perform minimally invasive spine surgery, including the following benefits for patients:
- Less pain during recovery
- Faster recovery time
- Smaller incisions
- Less damage to the muscles and soft tissue
- Less scar tissue
- Less risk for infection
- Less risk for blood loss
Who needs minimally invasive spine surgery?
Not everyone is a good candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery. In cases where the condition of the spine is too severe, you may benefit more from open surgery. However, these cases are not common. Many people with the following conditions can benefit from minimally invasive spine surgery:
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Arthritis
- Compression fractures
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD)
Visit iRISE Spine and Joint for minimally invasive spine surgery
If physical therapy and medication aren’t treating your back pain, you may need minimally invasive spine surgery. Our surgeons can examine your condition and determine if you’re a good candidate for this kind of surgery. Contact us today to talk to one of our patient care coordinators about minimally invasive spine surgery or to schedule an initial appointment.
