Spine surgery focuses on the structures and bones in and around the spine. Since the spine is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, spine surgery must be done by a highly trained and experienced surgeon. LAMIS prides itself on a team of highly skilled spine surgeons with skills and experience treating all kinds of spine disorders. We recommend surgery as the last treatment option when other treatments like medication and home remedies fail to give you relief from pain.
However, our surgeons in British Columbia offer safe and effective alternatives to open spine surgery. We recommend minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) to patients who qualify for it. MISS is less invasive, less painful, and has a low risk of complications. Our team uses it to treat many spine conditions, including infections, disc herniation, spine deformities, and fractured bones. Let us diagnose you and recommend the best treatment for back pain and related symptoms.
A Brief Overview of British Columbia Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Spine conditions cause a lot of back pain, which starts mildly and worsens as the conditions worsen. You are advised to seek treatment immediately after you experience back pain. You could manage a severe condition before it worsens and treatment becomes difficult and expensive. Sadly, many people visit hospitals when their pain worsens, and it is challenging to manage with over-the-counter pain medication. After diagnosis, doctors recommend the proper treatment for spine conditions based on their gravity and the most effective treatment option. If managing your back pain with painkillers and resting every chance you get does not relieve you of the back pain, you could be a good candidate for spine surgery.
Spine surgery is very risky, considering the sensitive nature of the spine and related structures. A complication or mistake during surgery can cause life-changing issues, including paralysis. Doctors do not recommend spine surgery unless they are sure it is the only way to treat your spine condition. A highly skilled surgeon must also do the operation to improve its chances of success.
The risk of open spine surgery is constant, even when done by the best spine surgeon. Open surgery exposes your back’s internal structures to harmful elements that could cause infections and other complications. It also interferes with your back’s underlying structures and tissues, which could prolong your recovery. Additionally, open surgery is painful and can cause excessive bleeding. All these are reasons why MISS is becoming popular by the day.
British Columbia minimally invasive spine surgery seeks to solve some problems open spine surgery presents. For example, it does not involve much bleeding or interference with your internal structures. There is also minimal exposure of your underlying tissues to harmful infection elements. This makes this treatment less painful, complicated, and quick to recover.
Spine surgeons who perform MISS only need a minor cut through your back to assess the problem, and treat the condition causing your back pain. This can be done in the shortest time possible, reducing the time you need to stay in the hospital for treatment. Since the small cut can heal quickly, you should return home in a few days. You can also resume your daily chores a few days after the operation, which would have been impossible with an open-spine operation.
The Benefits
Generally, people are scared of surgeries because of the pain, bleeding, and long recovery periods they are associated with. These are some of the issues that MISS resolves, making it a less scary option for a patient who is afraid or skeptical about spine surgery. Since doctors only make small incisions on patients’ backs, you are not worried about all the complications associated with open surgery. You are also assured of a quicker recovery to return to your daily life.
You do not need hospitalization to undergo a minimally invasive operation. Surgeons perform these procedures quickly, and within the same day, you visit the hospitals. In most cases, these operations are done in outpatient settings. This is a great relief for patients who dread hospital stays. It is also less costly since you only pay for the service received during the treatment day.
If surgery worries you because of the scars left after treatment, you will love MISS. A small incision on your back will not leave a significant scar on your body. Thus, you will not need more treatment, like plastic surgery, to look or feel better after the operation. Additionally, tiny scars heal and disappear over time. You will not have a constant reminder of an awful operation on your body after MISS.
MISS works very well in many types of spine conditions. If you qualify for spine surgery, your doctor can fix the problems in your back that are causing you pain, discomfort, and other indications. You do not have to endure years of suffering when a surgeon can fix your problem in minutes.
Reasons to Consider British Columbia Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Having back pain is not a sure sign that you need spine surgery. Most back pains heal independently or after adequate rest, physical therapy, or pain medication. Only a few cases of back pain require surgery. After a thorough examination, your doctor will know the cause of your back pain and recommend an ideal treatment. If you have been trying to manage your back pain with painkillers, rest, and other home remedies and have not been successful, you need surgery. Your doctor will examine your back using diagnostic tools like X-rays to determine the cause, the exact genesis of your pain, and the best treatment.
In most cases, doctors consider spine surgery after trying all other alternative treatments without success. It is because of the risky nature of spine surgeries, especially open ones. However, MISS can be very helpful because of its reduced risk and potential for success in treating a wide range of spine conditions. Your doctor will recommend it if they are sure it will be beneficial. The treatment must also be safe so your doctor can recommend it.
Here are examples of spine conditions that could necessitate British Columbia minimally invasive spine surgery:
A Herniated Disc
A problem with the rubbery discs between your spinal bones could cause a herniated disc. This problem develops when the soft middle part of your spinal disc pushes through a rupture or crack in a disc’s exterior case. Herniated discs are not painful at the beginning. However, you could experience pain once the pain starts irritating the nearby nerves. The pain could also cause weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, depending on the location of the herniated disc. You could manage pain from a herniated disc with physical therapy and medication. However, surgery will be inevitable if the pain becomes unbearable.
A Kyphosis
This is a condition that occurs when your spine’s front-to-back curve increases. It causes your upper back to have excessive forward rounding. It mainly affects older people because of their weakening spinal bones. The bones of an older person are not as strong as they used to be at a younger age. They can easily crack and break due to reduced calcium absorption and other essential minerals.
Spinal Abnormalities
A normal human spine has a distinct shape that determines the body's structure. An abnormal spine will have a different shape or form, affecting the entire body. Fortunately, doctors can treat an abnormal spine to prevent further damage to the body’s natural structure and manage some resulting symptoms, including pain and walking difficulties.
A Scoliosis
When you have scoliosis, it means that your spine is curved or twisted to one side. This can affect your body’s physical structure, cause pain, and cause difficulty performing tasks like walking or holding objects. Scoliosis is common in all ages. It starts mildly and worsens over time. Although it can improve with medication, you need a more severe intention, like surgery, if it worsens or becomes more painful.
Spinal Stenosis
The condition happens when the structure holding your spinal cord narrows abnormally, leaving your spine with insufficient space. Some people are born with inadequate space for their spinal cords, and others develop the problem later in life. When your spinal discs become drier as you age, they could bulge and rupture. The ruptured bones and ligaments could become larger or thicken, taking up more space than they should. This condition is mainly caused by arthritis.
Types of British Columbia Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Doctors have a long list of surgical treatments for different spine conditions. Thus, the exact type of treatment your doctor will recommend will depend on the underlying condition and your treatment history. The common types of treatments under this category are as follows:
A Discectomy
In this treatment, the surgeon would aim to remove materials pushing or pressing on the spinal cord or spinal nerve to relieve your pain, discomfort, and other signs. This is the treatment your doctor will recommend if you have a pinched nerve, bone spurs, sciatica, or radiculopathy. All these conditions cause intense back pain that could radiate to your limbs. The pain could make it challenging to perform basic tasks, like walking or holding objects. Thus, a discectomy will rectify the problem that is causing your pain, giving you almost instant relief.
A Foraminotomy
This is the treatment process in which your doctor will open up the foramen on your back tunnel to correct an existing problem causing your spine condition. Your surgeon will aim at relieving your symptoms of root compression, radiculopathy, or a pinched nerve. The foramen is where your spinal nerve roots leave the spine. A successful treatment will alleviate such symptoms as muscle weakness, pain, numbness, and tingling sensations. This is also an ideal treatment for spine conditions like sciatica and disc herniation.
A Laminectomy
This procedure involves the removal of lamina, a protective layer of your spine. The procedure is necessary if the lamina is causing pressure on your spinal cord and surrounding tissues and nerves, resulting in bone spurs, herniated discs, and lumbar stenosis. Spine surgeons can perform this procedure at any point of your spine without running through the danger of complications.
Preparing for MISS
Before surgery, your doctor has to examine you and determine your suitability for spine surgery. They must define the exact cause of your pain or other symptoms, identify your spine condition, and review your treatment history. Your doctor will ask about your previous treatments and the medications you are currently taking. This will help them determine the exact treatment to recommend for your spine condition. If you qualify for MISS, your doctor will give you an appointment for the treatment day.
It is necessary to understand the treatment process to avoid unpleasant surprises on the treatment day. Thus, ask questions and obtain clarifications if you do not understand anything. Naturally, your doctor will discuss your treatment options in detail and help you narrow your choices to the most ideal. They will explain how your condition can be treated using minimally invasive techniques. They will also discuss the advantages of MISS over open surgery and other treatments and any side effects or risk factors.
If you smoke or consume tobacco products in any other way, your doctor could recommend that you stop or quit the habit for better results after the operation. They could also recommend that you stop taking some medication within a particular period to avoid interaction with the medicines the doctor will recommend before, during, and after surgery.
Your doctor could also order more tests to determine the exact condition of your back and spine. A detailed X-ray or MRI can help them understand the cause and extent of your spine condition, allowing for more informed decision-making.
Find Reputable Spine Surgery Services Near Me
Spine surgery is necessary if your spine condition is grave and medicine, rest, physical therapy, and other home remedies are not effective. However, open-spine surgery is dangerous as it can result in complications that could prolong your healing. Our highly skilled surgeons at LAMIS recommend British Columbia minimally invasive spine surgery. It involves accessing the treatment site through a minor incision. The small incision causes minimal bleeding, does not result in muscle or tissue damage, and does not leave scars on your back. Contact us at 310-734-6088 because we have all the information you need to understand about MISS and make an informed decision.
