New Hampshire

Neck and back pain are common challenges that cause most patients to seek medical attention, especially if conservative treatment options fail to offer relief. As a neurointerventional surgical facility, LAMIS has witnessed the advancement of surgical methods and their effects on patient results. New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery is a topic of great importance and interest. We are dedicated to improving your quality of life and can offer the professional care and advice you need before undergoing the procedure. We have prepared this information to help you comprehend the surgical methods, benefits, risks, what to anticipate during recovery, costs, and candidacy.

What is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgical Procedure?

Minimally invasive spinal surgery is a recent approach to performing surgery on a patient’s spine. Unlike conventional open surgery, the medical procedure involves making small incisions and does not damage the nearby tissues and muscles. The surgery technique enables physicians to stabilize a patient’s joints and vertebral bones or relieve excessive pressure from spinal nerves due to medical conditions like bone spurs, spinal instability, spinal tumors, herniated discs, or scoliosis.

Types of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MISS)

The different categories of MISS include:

  • Keyhole surgery — Many non-invasive spinal surgery procedures require small keyhole incisions as access points for special surgical tools during surgery. The surgical cuts are approximately a half-inch long or less, depending on the area. One access point offers access to an endoscope, a slim tube with a lighted camera at the end that projects live images onto a screen. The surgeons will operate through the other access ports with long, narrow instruments.
  • Robotic surgery — Doctors perform robotic-assisted surgery with a computer-like electronic operating station. From this station, your surgeon navigates a high-definition camera and robotic arms that conduct the operation.
  • Endoscopic surgery — Endoscopy involves the insertion of a long, narrow tube directly into the body to observe an internal organ. Doctors or surgeons can use it in medical imaging and surgical procedures.

Ideal Candidates for MISS

Not all spinal condition patients qualify for New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery. Whether your surgeon will proceed depends on factors like the severity of the condition, the type of the issue, your general health, and prior treatments. You and your physician should be able to make a sound decision based on your circumstances.

Surgical treatment is only recommended after physical therapy and medication have failed to offer relief. Your doctor will use diagnostic imaging techniques like MRIs and X-rays to identify the source of pain and determine whether MISS can address it.

Typically, elderly patients are suitable candidates for this procedure.

Medical Conditions Treatable Using MISS

Doctors recommend New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery to treat different conditions. These treatable conditions include the following:

  • Spinal instability — As herniated discs degenerate, the cushioning between your vertebrae depletes, which could lead to the bones rubbing with each other and, over time, causing your spine to become unstable. MISS can restore your spine to its original functional state, enhancing body movement.
  • Degenerative disc issues — The discs in your lumbar system deteriorate naturally over time. While this is an inevitable process, overuse of your spine, smoking, and sometimes inherited genes can worsen it. During the MISS, the surgeon identifies and removes the disc or discs causing challenges.
  • Lumbar stenosis — Lumbar stenosis occurs when the nerves positioned within your spinal canal are compressed, leading to the tissue pressing against the nerves. Typically, the condition affects adults over 55 and occurs due to herniation, degeneration, instability, and having a small spinal canal from birth.
  • Herniated discs — Lumbar discs contain a substance similar to jelly that binds everything in place. You suffer from a slipped or herniated disc when the substance is dislodged from its usual area. You are more vulnerable to this health condition if you lift regularly in an incorrect way, irrespective of your occupation or for recreational purposes.
  • Vertebral compression fracture — Osteoporosis and some bone-softening medical conditions can cause your vertebrae to collapse, resulting in a fracture. Traumatic injuries like car accidents or falls could also cause a compression fracture.
  • Scoliosis — An abnormal curvature of your spinal column restricts movement and causes pain. Sometimes, it can cause lung and heart issues. The need for the surgical procedure depends on the seriousness of the curvature.
  • Spinal tumors
  • Spondylosis
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Pinched nerves

Benefits of MISS

MISS has many advantages over conventional, traditional techniques. They include the following:

  • The patients get better cosmetic outcomes because surgery requires tiny surgical cuts, sometimes a couple of millimeters.
  • MISS also minimizes the loss of blood throughout the operation, reducing the occurrence of complications.
  • The minimal need for incisions in your muscle greatly diminishes the occurrence of neighboring muscle damage.
  • Minimally invasive spinal surgery patients also experience less post-surgery pain and faster recovery times.
  • MISS reduces dependency on pain-relief medications after surgery, which makes the recovery process smoother and speeds up your rehabilitation process.
  • Your doctor can perform minimally invasive spinal surgery on an outpatient basis with a local anesthetic, reducing the potential risk of the dangerous side effects of general anesthesia.

Understanding the Risks of MISS

Like every surgical procedure, MISS has risks. They include the following:

  • It is normal to bleed, but it should be insignificant.
  • Infection — Your doctor should prescribe antibiotics before, during, and following the MISS surgery to reduce the risk of infections. They should also give you wound care guidelines.
  • Pain at the surgical incision site — A few patients can experience constant pain in the bone graft area.
  • Complications due to anesthesia
  • Inadequate relief from your back pain
  • Blood clots
  • Spinal fluid leakages, which can result in issues like headaches
  • Nerve damage — Occasionally, blood vessels experience injury during the surgery procedure.
  • Recurring symptoms — Recurring of original signs and symptoms could occur in some patients.

The risks can vary with age, general health, and the kind of MISS surgery you get. Undergoing the surgery procedure at a health facility that has proven and experienced surgeons can drastically reduce the associated risks. Consult your doctor or surgeon regarding the risk factors that might apply to you. You should also tell them about your allergies and medications before the procedure.

Remember to ask your surgeon(s) about their MISS qualifications; this includes necessary certification relating to the use of specialized technologies like robotics, how well they have been using it, and the patient's surgery outcomes.

The MISS Recovery Process

The recovery time span varies with patients, but it can average six weeks. Remember that it is remarkably shorter than that of traditional open surgery. The surgeon should provide you with a detailed recovery timeframe.

Recovery takes energy, and you should get adequate rest to allow your body to heal. Relaxing might be challenging if you have an active lifestyle. However, you must avoid grueling activities and lifting heavy stuff for weeks after undergoing the MISS surgery. Consider finding someone who can run your errands and help you around the home as you recover.

Your healthcare provider can also suggest physical therapy (PT) to aid you in regaining strength, leading to a speedy recovery. PT can begin in the hospital after your procedure and continue after returning home. Your exercises should focus on regaining strength and mobility before gradually focusing on exercising your muscles more to gain core strength and balance. Some of the exercises to consider trying include the following:

  • Straight-leg raises
  • Bridges, especially if you have had spinal fusion surgery
  • Wall squats
  • Abdominal draw-ins
  • Stationary biking
  • Hamstring stretch
  • Taking short walks — Walking is a brilliant option that strengthens your core and legs without exerting pressure on any area.
  • Heel slides

While recovering at home, you must take care of the surgery’s incision. Nothing can worsen or delay recovery like infections. Ensure you adhere to your doctor’s home care guidelines and clean the incision site. Contact your surgeon immediately if you notice signs and symptoms of infections like redness, abnormal drainage, fever, or swelling.

Ensure you go to all follow-up doctor appointments. During the visits, your surgeon will observe your recovery progress and address your concerns or questions.

How soon you resume your everyday routine depends on the type of your New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery. However, you should resume gradually.

How Much Does New Hampshire Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Cost?

Minimally invasive spine surgery’s initial costs can be high because it requires highly-trained surgeons and advanced technology to conduct the medical procedure. Nevertheless, it is much more affordable than traditional spinal surgery in many ways, including the following:

  • Shorter hospital stays — Due to minimal trauma to the tissues surrounding your surgical area, you might require a shorter hospital stay, which can considerably lower the cost of your surgical procedure.
  • Lowered possibility of complications — MISS patients experience fewer risks and complications. Complications extend hospital stays, so you are working to reduce potential health facility stay costs by undergoing the procedure.
  • Less physical therapy — While you will need physical therapy to fully recover, irrespective of your surgery, you will require fewer sessions with New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery.
  • An open surgery takes longer, while your surgeon can perform an MISS in less than one hour. Although the duration of a procedure is not the only factor involved in the total cost, it plays a role in billing. Therefore, a shorter treatment can avoid heavy medical bills.
  • Allows you to return to work — Traditional spine surgery has extended recovery duration. That means if you are away from work because you are recovering, you are missing out on your payday, which could impact your finances. A minimally invasive surgical procedure can get you back to earning your paycheck sooner.

Factors that Can Influence Your Overall Surgical Cost

One thing to discuss with your surgeon during your initial consultation is the factors that influence what you will incur for MISS. They include the following:

  • The type of surgery — Different treatments have different costs, so your specific surgical procedure will influence the price. Some MISS procedures require more care, time, and resources. That means you will pay more if your surgery is more complicated and involves more specialized tools or many steps.
  • Whether you require local anesthesia or general anesthesia
  • Your insurance coverage specifics, including insurer policies and your deductible
  • The location of your doctor’s office
  • Your doctor’s experience

Do Insurance Providers Cover MISS?

Surgeons only perform New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery to treat a medical condition. Since it is not a cosmetic procedure, your insurer should cover the cost once your surgeon determines you have met your insurer’s conservative treatment requirements and the procedure is medically essential.

Medicare also covers MISS. Nevertheless, how much you pay out-of-pocket depends on how you receive the Medicare benefits and where you receive the treatment.

Please note that Medicare has specific regulations that you must comply with. Your knowledgeable physician should guide you to ensure you receive the highest level of coverage.

Paying for Your Surgery Without Insurance

While paying for your treatment out of pocket is daunting, you can make the price more reasonable using payment plans. A payment plan is commonly offered when a physician is paid by patients instead of an insurance firm, and the patient cannot afford to pay the entire amount at once. It is a formal agreement that you will make monthly payments to foot your surgery expenses instead of a substantial upfront fee. Please consult your surgeon to learn whether they offer payment plans and, if yes, the accrued interest rates. 

Charitable programs and financial assistance can make the cost more manageable and affordable. Typically, organizations focused on spinal health offer grants, and some hospitals might provide financial aid based on your medical necessity and economic status.

Find a MISS Surgery Facility Near Me

Over the years, New Hampshire minimally invasive spine surgery has grown in popularity due to its ability to generate better results than traditional open surgery without damaging tissues and muscles. If you have been experiencing persistent back and neck pain that does not cease after non-surgical treatment methods, you can consider contacting LAMIS. We are devoted to offering comprehensive care, individualized treatment plans, and advanced surgical methods. We can also advise you accordingly, allowing you to make informed health-related decisions. To schedule your appointment and learn more about our services, please contact our center at 310-734-6088.

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