Quebec

Spine surgery has advanced significantly in the last few decades. Several spine conditions that once required open surgery can now be treated or relieved using minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) techniques.

With MISS techniques, spine surgeons can access and fix spine problems like a herniated disc using tiny incisions and specialized tools. This could improve the final results, minimize pain, and speed up recovery. While it is a helpful and revolutionary treatment method for spine-related problems, not every patient is an excellent candidate for MISS.

To know whether or not you are an excellent candidate for MISS, you must consult an experienced spine surgeon for evaluation. If you need Quebec minimally invasive spine surgery services to treat back pain or any spine-related health problem, our dedicated and seasoned spine surgeons at LAMIS are here to help. We are dedicated to assisting you through any MISS procedure until you regain your full mobility, strength, and health.

What You Need to Know About MISS

The spine, discs, and spinal nerves are strategically situated underneath layers of tissues and nerves. Accessing these parts of the body whenever you have a spine, neck, or back problem requires keen maneuvering and sometimes complicated incision procedures. Fortunately, due to technological advancements, spine-related issues that once required open surgery are treatable with MISS techniques.

MISS is a modern type of spine surgery that requires tiny cuttings using specialized tools and does little or no damage to the tissues, nerves, and muscles surrounding the spine. While it helps achieve the same goals as traditional open spine surgery, MISS procedures are noninvasive and do not damage the muscles and tissues around the spine.

Benefits of MISS

Compared to traditional open spine surgery, MISS has numerous benefits, such as:

Less blood loss.
Less infection risks.
Less cosmetic alterations on your body because the incisions are tiny.
Speedy recovery.
Reduced trauma and possible damage to tissues, nerves, and muscles around your spine.
Reduced odds of painkiller dependence after the recommended MISS surgical procedure.
Less pain after the recommended MISS procedure.

Due to the several benefits, MISS is becoming more popular daily as an alternative to open spine surgery. Aside from its several benefits, MISS has a high success rate, meaning patients experience reduced pain after the procedure.

How to Know Whether You Are an Excellent Candidate for MISS

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, not every patient is an excellent candidate for MISS. Your surgeon will determine whether you are an excellent candidate for this treatment. Some of the factors he/she will consider include:

Whether you are pregnant.
Whether your spine will be accessible using small surgical incisions.
Your unique health issue.

Generally speaking, you would be an excellent candidate for MISS if other treatment methods like physical therapy and medications are unsuccessful in alleviating your symptoms. In most cases, your surgeon will recommend a MISS procedure if he/she can pinpoint the root cause of the bothersome symptoms.

Common Health Conditions That Are Treatable by MISS Procedures

Some back or spine conditions will not require MISS, especially if other treatment options are available. Below are common spine-related health conditions that could make a spine surgeon recommend a MISS procedure:

Herniated Disc

Also known as a ruptured, bulging, or slipped disc, a herniated disc is a common spine problem that can make even simple tasks at home excruciating. In between your 26 vertebrae, you have cushioned discs that allow flexibility and act as shock absorbers. Each of these discs has a tough outer layer, also known as annulus fibrosus, and a jelly-like center known as nucleus pulposus.

A slipped disc occurs when the nucleus pulposus pushes through a crack in your annulus fibrosus. Some of the causes of this condition include:

Injury.
Disc degeneration.

If your daily work involves repetitive activities or you are obese, you could be at high risk of developing a herniated disc. While it depends on the person, sometimes a herniated disc has no symptoms. Below are common symptoms of a slipped disc:

Tingling and numbness in the affected area of your spine.
Pain in the affected area of the spine.
Muscle weakness.

If medication and other treatment methods like physical therapy are not helpful remedies for your herniated disc condition, your spine surgery could recommend a MISS procedure, such as:

Discectomy.
Spinal fusion.

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis occurs when the hollow space inside your backbone narrows, putting pressure on the nerves and spinal cord that pass through the spine to the brain. This condition could occur in any of the following areas:

In the middle of your spine.
In your neck.
Lower spine.

If you have spinal stenosis, you will likely experience tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, and pain around the affected area of your spine. The most common causes of this condition include:

Injuries.
Diseases like arthritis or scoliosis.

In severe cases, a MISS could be necessary to create adequate space in your spinal canal and reduce the symptoms of spinal stenosis.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is the sideways abnormal curvature of your spine. The causes of this condition could vary from one patient to the next but could include:

A spine injury.
Vertebral malformation during embryonic development.
A genetic change.
A tumor on the spine.

You are more likely to experience scoliosis if you have an injury around the spine area or if your family has a history of scoliosis. A person with scoliosis will most likely experience the following symptoms:

Uneven waist.
Uneven shoulders.
Elevated hips.
Uneven leg length.
Leg numbness or weakness.
Back pain.

If you notice any of the above signs and symptoms of scoliosis in your children, consult a spine doctor as soon as possible. Treatment of this condition focuses on reducing the symptoms and not necessarily straightening your spine. If non-surgical or conservative treatments like physical therapy and medications are unhelpful, your spine doctor could recommend a MISS procedure.

Spinal Fracture

As the name suggests, a spinal fracture is the breakage of any of your vertebrae. Also commonly referred to as a “broken back,” a spinal fracture could occur due to the following:

Trauma, like falls, car accidents, or sports injuries.
Osteoporosis.
Age.
Cancer.

In most cases, a spinal fracture will not require surgery, but your spine doctor could recommend wearing a brace for some months. However, in severe cases, spine surgery could be necessary to repair the fractured vertebrae. Consult with a spine doctor as soon as possible when you experience the following symptoms of a spinal fracture:

Tenderness and swelling around the affected vertebrae.
Back pain.
Numbness and tingling in your back.
Posture changes.

It is worth noting that these are not the only health conditions your spine doctor could recommend undergoing a MISS procedure. Other spine-related health conditions treatable by MISS procedures include (but are not limited to) the following:

Spinal column tumors.
Kyphosis.
Spinal infection.
Lumbar spinal stenosis.
Spondylolisthesis.
Vertebrae compression fractures.
Degenerative disc disease.

Types of MISS Procedures That You Ought to Know

Depending on your unique health condition, your spine doctor could recommend any of the following types of MISS procedures to alleviate your symptoms:

Spinal fusion.
Spinal infection treatment.
Laminectomy.
Diskectomy.
Corpectomy.
Ligament resection.
Osteotomy.
Kyphoplasty.

Your spine doctor will carefully examine your unique health condition and check your symptoms to determine the appropriate MISS procedure to help alleviate your symptoms.

How to Prepare for Your MISS Procedure

Before your MISS procedure, you will meet with your spine surgeon for a consultation. Your initial appointment gives your spine surgeon a chance to perform necessary physical exams and imaging tests, like magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) and X-rays, to plan for your MISS procedure.

During this appointment, your surgeon will let you know what to do and not do before your surgery date. For example, the surgeon could require you to:

Stop smoking or using any tobacco-related product because it can delay the healing process.
Exercise regularly before you sleep to keep your muscles fit and your body active.
Stop taking certain medications, including antibiotics and non-essential supplements, because they could cause excessive bleeding during the surgery or interfere with your healing process.
Follow his/her instructions on what you can eat and not eat before the surgery.
Arrange someone who can drive you back home after the procedure because the drowsiness effects of the anesthesia could affect your ability to drive.

What to Expect During Your MISS Procedure

On the day of your scheduled MISS procedure, an anesthesiologist who is part of the surgeon's medical team will give you anesthesia. The anesthesia could be local or general, depending on how complicated the procedure is and the severity of your condition. The purpose of the anesthesia is to numb the affected area of the spine to prevent pain and discomfort during the surgery.

Before the MISS procedure, your spine doctor could give you antibiotics to minimize any chances of infection during the surgery. During MISS, your spine surgeon will do the following:

Make tiny cuttings or incisions on your skin around the affected spine area.
Insert a tubular retractor to expose the affected area of your spine. Alternatively, your doctor could view the affected spine area using an endoscope.
Use specialized tools to fix the affected area through the tubular retractor or endoscope tube.
Remove the tubular retractor to allow your tissues and muscles to return to their ideal position.
Closes the incisions with stitches and covers them with a bandage to prevent infection.

For the best Quebec minimally invasive spine surgery services, ensure the spine doctor you choose is qualified, experienced, reputable, licensed, and well-equipped with modern equipment. Most spine doctors nowadays use robotics to help perform specific MISS procedures effectively and precisely.

Potential Downsides or Risks of MISS

Every surgical procedure has its risks, and MISS procedures are no exception. Below are some of the common risks associated with MISS procedures:

Blood clots.
Pain.
Nerve damage.
Tissue damage.
Reaction to anesthesia.
Excessive bleeding.
infection.

Ensure you contact your spine surgeon as soon as you can when you experience any of the following symptoms after your MISS procedure:

Swelling on the incision site.
Severe pain.
Fever.
Bleeding from the incision site.

If you are looking for Quebec minimally invasive spine surgery services, ensure the spine doctor you choose offers 24/7 emergency services in case of a complication after the surgery.

What to Expect After a MISS Procedure

If your MISS is an outpatient procedure, you should expect to go home within twenty-four (24) hours after treatment. Once your doctor allows you to go home, you should have someone on standby ready to drive you home. After the surgery, you could experience a slight pain around the incision site as the anesthesia wears off, but it is manageable using over-the-counter painkillers.

Within the first few days after your MISS procedure, you should incorporate breathing exercises into your healing and recovery plan to allow your lungs to expand and clear any secretions. Adequate rest is also recommended after a MISS procedure to give your body ample time to heal.

After receiving Quebec minimally invasive spine surgery services, your surgeon could require you to avoid strenuous activities like lifting and sports for several weeks to allow your body to heal. To help regain your mobility and physical strength, your surgeon could recommend seeking the services of a physical therapist to help you train and exercise.

If your MISS procedure requires follow-up appointments, consider setting a reminder on your phone to avoid missing any of them. How long it will take to recover after receiving Quebec minimally invasive spine surgery services will depend on various factors, such as:

The underlying cause of your symptoms.
How complicated your MISS procedure was.
Your age.
Your general health.

Find Quebec Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Services Near Me

Back pain and other symptoms caused by spine-related problems could significantly affect your daily life. While any surgical procedure can be nerve-wracking and scary, if you are scheduled for a MISS procedure, you do not need to fret because it is non-invasive, all thanks to modern technology.

We invite you to call our reliable spine surgeons at LAMIS at 310-734-6088 if you need Quebec minimally invasive spine surgery services for a back, neck, or spine-related health issue.