The main reason surgeons perform minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is to stabilize your vertebral bones and joints. This procedure also relieves pressure that is exerted on the spinal nerves due to conditions like spinal tumors, herniated discs, and spinal instability. Unlike open-spine surgery, minimally invasive surgery procedures are safer and quicker, with a short recovery time. If you need reliable Arkansas minimally invasive spine surgery, contact LAMIS. We have experienced spine surgeons who can handle every type of spine surgery, no matter how intricate.
Benefits of Arkansas Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
As opposed to open-spine surgical procedures, you will experience reduced trauma to the soft tissues and muscles when you undergo MISS. Other benefits of MISS include:
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Reduced reliance on pain medications after surgery.
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Reduced postoperative pain and risk of infection.
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Less rehabilitation is required, and faster recovery from surgery.
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Reduced risk of muscle damage because little or no cutting of the muscle is needed.
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Less blood loss from the procedure.
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Better cosmetic results because of tiny skin incisions. The incisions could be as tiny as several millimeters.
Additionally, some MISS procedures utilize only local anesthesia and are performed as outpatient procedures. In this case, there is little to no risk of an adverse reaction to general anesthesia.
The conditions that could be treated using Arkansas minimally invasive spine surgery include:
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Spinal deformities like scoliosis.
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Degenerative disc disease.
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Spinal tumors.
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Vertebral compression fractures.
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Spinal stability like spondylolisthesis.
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Spinal infections.
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Lumbar spinal stenosis.
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Herniated disc.
Scoliosis
The spine is a person’s backbone. It runs straight down an individual’s back but curves slightly. Scoliosis is the abnormal curving of the spine. The cause of scoliosis is not known. Scoliosis mainly affects females, and the curving could worsen during growth spurts. The symptoms of scoliosis can include:
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Difficulty with sitting or breathing.
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The spine curves more to one side.
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Uneven shoulders or hips where one shoulder could be higher than the other.
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Feeling tired or weakness in the spine after standing or sitting for a long time.
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Backache or low-back pain that goes down the legs.
Other than surgery, other treatments for scoliosis include:
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Emotional support — Some children, particularly teens, could be self-conscious when using a back brace.
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Physical therapy and other specialists will assist in explaining the treatments and ensuring the brace fits well.
Spinal Stenosis
This condition arises when your spinal cord, neck, or lower back nerves are compressed.
Tumors In The Spine
Spinal tumors could be benign or cancerous. Your surgeon can remove them even though they are non-cancerous. If benign tumors are not addressed, they could cause instability in your spine, causing fractures. Spinal tumors could also exert pressure on your spinal cord or nerve roots, resulting in numbness, pain, or weakness.
Spinal Trauma
This trauma could damage the muscles, bones, and ligaments. It can destabilize a person’s spinal cord. Your surgeon MISS to stabilize your spine and stop the progression of the injury.
Spinal Instability/Spondylolisthesis
The condition arises when a vertebra slides in front of the other, causing significant leg or back pain.
Spinal Infections/Osteomyelitis
Spinal infections typically occur in a vertebra, muscles, or discs surrounding the spine. Minimally invasive surgery can help remove the infection, and antibiotics can also treat it.
Herniated Discs
Herniated discs affect the thoracic, lumbar, or cervical spine. They arise from trauma or wear and tear. If you have a herniated disc, a portion of your spinal disc can bulge from the rightful place. It could pressure your nerve roots or spinal cord, causing leg and back pain, numbness, or weakness.
Degenerative/Arthritic Disc Disease
Also known as wear & tear, arthritic disc disease causes a change in your spine's ligaments, bones, and discs. You could experience numbness, weakness, or back pain if you have it.
Congenital Spinal Conditions
Genetic and developmental abnormalities cause this condition. Congenital spinal disorders could affect the sacrum, thoracic, lumbar, or cervical spine. Your surgeon could recommend minimally invasive spine surgery to stabilize your spine and allow appropriate growth.
Compression Fractures
These fractures arise in the thoracic and lumbar spines of elderly patients suffering from osteoporosis. They could result in back pain that gets worse when standing.
How Arkansas Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Works
Any approach to accessing the spinal area requires moving the muscle tissue out of the way because the spinal nerves, vertebrae, and discs are deep in the body. The surgeon can accomplish this by making tiny incisions and guiding instruments or microscopic video cameras through the incisions. Contrary to popular belief, lasers are rarely used in MISS procedures.
Several methods could be used to reduce trauma during the MISS procedure. The standard techniques used include the following:
Thoracoscopic Access Route
Depending on the patient's condition, accessing the front sections of the thoracic spine might be necessary. The thoracic spine is found in the chest and is surrounded by the lungs and heart. Thoracoscopic access involves making several tiny incisions through which working cameras and ports are inserted to facilitate the procedure. On the other hand, conventional access methods involve opening the chest by making large incisions. This procedure also requires the removal of one or several ribs.
Direct Lateral Access Routes
Sometimes, approaching the spine from inside the body reduces pain, especially during lumbar spine procedures. The limited amount of muscle tissue blocking the way reduces pain. This method is used while the patient is lying on their side. A tubular retractor docks on the side of the spine to enable access to the bones and discs of the spine.
Percutaneous Placement of Screws and Rods
It might be necessary to place instrumentation like rods and screws into your spine, depending on your condition. This is done to immobilize or stabilize your spine to facilitate fusion of the spinal bones. Conventional methods for placement of screws need extensive muscle removal and other tissues from the surface of the spine.
Percutaneous means through the skin placement. It involves putting screws and rods through relatively tinny skin incisions without dissecting or cutting the underlying muscle. Guidewires are put through the skin and into the spinal vertebrae along the desired paths for the screws with the help of X-ray images. Screws are then put over the guidewires and follow the path of the wires. The screws have temporary extenders, which extend outside the skin. These extenders are removed once they guide the passage of rods to connect and secure the screws. Spinal instrumentation could be placed accurately and safely using spinal navigation and robots.
Using a Tubular Retractor
This procedure involves the dilation of the soft tissues progressively instead of cutting directly through the muscles. The surgeon works through the incision without exposing the area widely, using tubes to keep the muscles out of the way. The surgeon could also use a microscope or an endoscope focused down the tube to execute the procedure through a minimal access strategy. This tubular retractor is removed once the surgery is over. This allows the tissues to reunite again. Incisions could be tiny depending on the type of surgery necessary.
The Common Treatment Options of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Several specific treatment options have been deployed for the MISS procedure. The field continues to develop, but some of the options include:
Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
Your surgeon could recommend you for TLIF if you have refractory mechanical lower back and radicular pain related to the following:
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Recurrent disc herniation.
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Degenerative disc disease, and
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spondylolisthesis.
Surgeons perform this procedure from the back with the patient lying on their stomach. Two tiny incisions are made, and screws and rods are inserted between two or more vertebral levels. Your surgeon could remove the intervertebral disc and put it in a cage filled with bone to stabilize the affected levels.
Spinal Decompression
A common condition that can lead to compression of the nerves is spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis causes the narrowing of the vertebral canal. You could experience symptoms like muscle weakness, numbness, and pain. It could be possible to remove the bone and soft tissue causing the nerve compression if your doctor recommends surgery. Your surgeon could accomplish this through MISS using tubular dilators, an endoscope, or a microscope. Foraminotomy and laminectomy are standard decompressive procedures.
Discectomy
Spinal discs are elastic rings with soft material inside, which act as cushions between vertebral bones. The soft tissue inside can extrude or herniate outside of the elastic ring if the elastic ring is weakened. You could experience pain if the herniated disc material compresses the nerves passing by. Minimally invasive spine surgery could be appropriate if surgical treatment is recommended to trim or remove the herniated disc. Your surgeon could use tubular dilators and an endoscope or a microscope.
Preparing for Arkansas Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
You should do the following while preparing for MISS:
Stop Smoking
Surgeons strongly discourage smoking before MISS because it could result in suboptimal surgical results. Smoking could place you at a higher risk of increased scarring, a lengthy recovery period, extended ventilator care, and other health issues.
Avoid Taking Alcohol
Consumption of alcohol before MISS could interfere with anesthesia and other medications. It could also increase the bleeding and delay your recovery period. Stopping or reducing alcohol consumption can quicken your healing and reduce the risk of developing other complications in the future.
Eating a Healthy and Balanced Diet
Eating foods with a high protein content and nutrients, such as zinc, calcium, and vitamins C and D, can help your body heal naturally. However, you should consult your doctor for personal dietary guidance.
Do Regular Exercise
Do regular exercises before the MISS. Overall fitness could reduce the risk of complications. It could also help you to recover faster, allowing you to resume your everyday life faster.
Shower the Night or Morning Before Surgery
It is advisable not to shower after surgery to reduce the risk of infections. Maintaining good oral hygiene and brushing your teeth will also help. Do not drink or eat anything before the surgery, including water.
It is recommended that you leave all valuables at home, including jewelry. You should wear comfortable and easy-to-remove clothes. Carry a set of change clothes and toiletries if you spend the night at the hospital. You should bring some cotton T-shirts to wear underneath if you wear a brace. However, MISS surgery is often outpatient, but you should consult your doctor to see what you need to carry.
Prepare Your Home For Return After Surgery
Preparing your home for return is necessary, just as preparation for Arkansas minimally invasive surgery. The essential preparations could include:
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Place low-lying items at standing height because you cannot twist, pull, push, lift, or bend after the surgery.
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Set up special equipment, such as shower chairs, walkers, or long-handle reachers, that are ready to use and easily accessible.
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Hire someone or look for a relative to assist you with household duties, like cleaning, yard work, and shopping. You should avoid these duties for several weeks to months after the surgery.
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Prepare healthy meals in advance or buy easy-to-prepare foods.
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Place essentials like clothing, toiletries, and shoes at a height where you can easily reach them without bending over.
Risks Of Minimally Invasive Back Surgery
No matter how minimal this procedure is, it has some risks like any other surgical procedure. Some of the risks include:
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Infection — No matter how small the incision area is, you could suffer localized infections.
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Unexpected blood loss at the time of the surgery.
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Possible adverse reaction to the anesthesia.
Sometimes, there is a slight chance that the first MISS cannot be completed, requiring full open surgery or a second procedure.
You should follow your doctor’s post-surgery instructions to reduce the risk of infection. For example, you should not let the surgical site come into contact with water. You should also avoid strenuous activities soon after surgery.
Find A Reliable Arkansas Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon Services Near Me
If you suffer from a spinal disorder that requires surgery, you should explore our Arkansas minimally invasive spine surgery. Unlike open-spine surgery, minimally invasive surgery is safer and causes less discomfort. For reliable MISS services, contact LAMIS. Contact us at 310-734-6088 to talk to a surgeon today.