Minimally invasive techniques are the standard procedures for spinal surgery. The aim of minimally invasive surgery is to do the same operation with less pain, potential complications, and side effects and with the better or same outcomes. The benefits of this procedure include less pain, less loss of blood, lower risk of infection after having the surgery, less damage to the tissue and collateral musculature, and earlier return to the daily routine.

Minimally invasive techniques include:

For cervical spine:

·         Foraminotomy and disectomy: This type of surgery is used to treat herniated disc, but it also works effectively in relieving pain of arm that is caused by the pressure of nerve from the arthritic bone spurs. This surgery can widen the opening in the back where the roots of nerves leave the spinal canal.

·         Fusion: Fusion is one type of minimally invasive technique that is used to treat fractures and trauma of spine. Especially this surgery is designed to eliminate the motion at the painful vertebral part that would decrease the pain caused from the joint.

·         Foraminotomy fusion: This is a medical procedure that provides relief from pressures of compressed nerves. A foraminotomy fusion would be performed either as minimally invasive or conservative.

·         Decompression Resection: Spinal decompression surgery is the combination of several procedures that would be intended to provide relief from symptoms that are caused by compression, or pressure, on the nerve roots or spinal cord.

For thoracic Spine:

 Minimally invasive techniques are also used to treat thoracic spine.

·         Costotransversectomy: This is used to treat the herniated disc. This technique allows surgeon to access ventral thoracic spine for many kinds of spinal disorders that include degeneration, tumor, infection and trauma.

·         Thoracoscopic surgery: This is used for tumors. This is a robotic surgery performed on the VATS platform. This procedure involves four steps. The robot would be used to cut the rib and to divide the muscles of scalene.

For Lumbar spine:

·         Disectomy:  This surgery is performed to remove the herniated disc from a spinal canal. Herniated disc causes pressure on the nerves.  The surgical procedure can remove the spinal disc fragment. In this surgery, the surgeon made a small incision to look at the herniated disc and to remove that disc. This will provide relief from the pressure on the nerves.

·         Laminectomy: This is a spine surgery to remove a part of the vertebral bone that is called as lamina. This is a minimally invasive technique, in this surgery some small incisions are made to push the back muscles aside instead of cutting them, and the portion of lamina would leave intact.

Spine surgery is the Treatment for scoliosis. What is scoliosis means when you look at usual spine from back or front it should appear as straight. However, if you have scoliosis, it appears like an S-shaped curve from front to back or side to side.

Depending on the patient’s age and length of curvature, the scoliosis treatment can be done. Most of the people who are suffering from scoliosis live normally and there is no difference from others, they can participate in all activities and are physically active. If the curve becomes extra worse, your surgeon will help to treat the situation with spine surgery or a brace.

By using this spine surgery for scoliosis, vertebrae can be fused so that the spine is unable to bend and correct the deformity. 50 percent or more of the disease can be corrected by the orthopedic surgeon.

Spine surgery is significantly used for:

·         A kid who has severe curve on spine which is greater than 40 degrees.

·         An adult who has greater than 50 degrees curve.

Other factors:

·         Status of puberty, skeletal age and the person’s age.

·         Curve location.

When doing spine surgery some other situations are considered such as:

·         A very young kid who has spinal curves as severe.

·         A kid who has problem in breathing or who is suffering from scoliosis.

About the spine surgery:

In the middle of the back, your physician will make a cut. The spine is exposed by moving the muscles to the side. The intersections between the spine are removed to unbind them. The vertebra is ridged up so that the body acts by producing fresh bone.

The fresh bone eventually connects the empty spaces between the vertebrae so that they can fuse together. Implants of metal such as screws, rods, or wires are placed in it to support the spine until vertebrae fuse.

Spine surgery usually takes 4 to 6 hours; generally this time depends on your child’s condition.

Bone Transplant:

The fusion improved with bone transplantation. If the bone is taken from your kid then it is known as autogenous bone transplantation and usually harvested from the stomach, or it can also be taken from a donor which is known as allogenous.

An advantage of allogenous bone transplantation is, there is less risk of infection and more rapid inclusion with the remaining vertebrae. A disadvantage of this surgery is, it will cause pain and bring its own group of risks, so it is essential to obtain the bone.

The basic problem of allogenous bone transplantation is infection. You must have to decide whether to continue or not for a surgery after cautiously discussing the risks and benefits with the orthopedic surgeon.

Our spine is cushioned by mushy, tiny discs. These spongy discs would absorb the shocks, which are tolerated by our body. A disc is said to be herniated if it gets ruptured or damaged. It mostly affects your low back and sometimes it may also affect the neck, which is called as cervical spine.

People who are involved in sports and occupation which require twisting, pushing, or heavy lifting are very likely to suffer from this disorder. Inside the disc sometimes leaks into the spinal channel that result in spinal cord and nerve ending compression. Depending on the compression location this may cause strong pain.

A barrage of the tests can be performed to check out the herniated disc, such as X-rays, electromyogram and myelogram etc. These tests can be done after a general examination of the affected back area and considering the symptoms of the pain.

Myelogram would be performed to take a spinal x-ray to know which pressure point is developed in the surrounding spinal tissues and nerves.

Electro-myogram is performed to check the electric wave magnitudes along the nerve paths, which also including through muscle tissues. Here the reading shows whether there is any damage due to nerve areas and messed up tissues as a result of herniated disc.

Treatment:

The treatment for herniated disc can be classified as:

1. Non surgical treatment

2. Surgical treatment

Nonsurgical treatment:

This treatment is aimed to help you to go back your daily routine that includes:

Learn: You must be educated about your back, which include handling the pain and controlling the symptoms. Many doctors would recommend physical therapy, which will reduce the discomfort due to pain and inflammation, followed by improving flexibility and strength of the muscle.

Rest: A short period of rest can improve the followed activity.

Relief from pain: You can use medicine to relieve from the inflammation and pain instead of dealing with the pain without taking any medicine. These medicines include: Opioids, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, corticosteroids, prescription and nonprescription pain relievers, like nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or acetaminophen.

Surgical treatment:

Generally surgical treatment is considered as a last option, or if the person has a significant neurological disease. Only about 10% of people can be treated with surgeries for herniated disc. It can be a best treatment option for the patients who are suffering from numbness or sever weakness, or nerve damage, which is getting worse or if the condition is not improved after the nonsurgical treatment.

1. Discectomy: This is the effective and most common surgery for herniated disc, which includes the removal of the disc material through an incision. This is mostly preferred to relieve from the pain. Discectomy will give relief from symptoms such as numbness and pain, but it does not give relief from the back pain.

Some other surgical options are:

2. IDET-An invasive surgery for disc pain

3. Chemonucleolysis - Abolish the protruding disc

4. Laminectomy-To get relief from nerve compression or spinal stenosis

5. Tessys method-This is a transforaminal endoscopic procedure, which gives relief from herniated disc

6. Hemilaminectomy-This will give relief from nerve compression or spinal stenosis

7. Dynamic stabilization

8. Disc arthroplasty

9. Lumbar Fusion

Contacting an experienced spine surgeon will suggest best treatment method for your condition. Make sure to search for a board certified surgeon in your area.

Are you experiencing painful and common back problem known as spinal stenosis? Then spine surgery is effective in reducing the back pain and promotes better physical condition than treating with drugs and using physical therapy.

The condition of spinal stenosis includes narrowing of the passage in the spine through which nerves pass, and can finally lead to a devastating pain in the lower back, legs and hips. Spine surgery usually includes enlarging the opening to ease the pressure on the nerves, which is called as laminectomy. It is one of the most common surgeries performed in the US.

Spine surgery is of two types, one is traditional open surgery and the other is minimally invasive spine surgery. Also, there are several benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) when compared to traditional open surgery. MIS uses cutting edge technologies to treat your spinal condition without damaging the surrounding tissues.

Here are the various advantages of MIS:

1. Quicker recovery
2. Less scarring
3. Minimal post-op pain
4. Minimum blood loss
5. Smaller surgical incisions
6. Improved spinal functioning
7. Less damage to the surrounding soft tissue
8. Shorter hospital stay
9. Quicker return to normal activities

Make sure that you follow the surgeon's instructions carefully. Each person is evaluated differently, so consult your spine surgeon about the various treatment options available.