FAQs about Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

We absolutely encourage second opinions. You should explore all options and proceed with surgery only AFTER your diagnosis has been fully explained to you and you feel comfortable with the reasons for surgical intervention. MISS could be your best option.

Definitely not! In fact, the majority of procedures I perform do not involve a fusion. At times fusions are necessary and are very successful, especially if you have evidence of spinal instability or deformity.

It takes special training to perform minimally invasive spine surgery.

Yes. Some situations are not appropriate for minimally invasive procedures. For these cases, a traditional open procedure is the best solution.

Yes. If I determine you will benefit from a procedure, preoperative clearance is obtained from your primary care physician and any other doctors integral to your care. MISS limits the anesthesia risks since the procedures are performed under a local anesthesia. 

No. Not everyone is a candidate. Open or traditional surgery is the best option for some patients. Determining if you are a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure is decided after a complete workout, including history, physical exam and imaging studies, is performed.

Yes. Studies show minimally invasive spine surgery is not only effective, but safe. Compared to its “open surgery” counterpart, minimally invasive procedures have less bleeding, lower infection rates, less pain and shorter hospitalizations.

No. Minimally invasive surgery has been around in many forms for decades. Knee arthroscopy and laproscopic removal of an appendix or gallbladder are examples of minimally invasive surgery that you may be more familiar with. While the applications for the spine are continually improving, MISS has been performed effectively for several years.

Most surgical problems of the cervical and lumbar spine can be addressed in some form or another by a minimally invasive procedure. Only after a comprehensive history and physical examination can the exact nature of your problem be determined and a treatment plan implemented. Some common diagnoses treated with minimally invasive surgery include cervical and lumbar disc herniations, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and compression fractures.

Results depend on your diagnosis and degree of disability. In an appropriate candidate, with a conservative approach and evidence based medicine, you can expect excellent results. I believe medical literature is very clear on the results of MISS for herniated discs, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. Surgery for these conditions works faster and better that continued non-operative care for many patients, with up to 90% obtaining good to excellent results. 
 

A large number of people of patients are apprehensive about procedures involving the spine. They mention a friend who was worse after surgery or had a complication. Fortunately, with advances in knowledge, technology and surgical techniques, these problems are no longer the case.
 

It saddens me to hear patients talk about surgery as a “last resort”. While I agree non-surgical treatment are appropriate for initially treating many problems, my surgical patients and I discovered surgery is not a “last resort”, but rather the “best chance” for a rapid recovery and return to a pain free life. 

These procedures require a facility and a staff trained in the highly specialized tools and instruments necessary for a successful procedure. The hospital and staff (nurses, doctors, physical therapists) must be familiar with the needs of spine patients.

The operating and procedural rooms at Coordinated Health Hospitals are specifically designed to meet the needs of these patients. We recognize a positive patient experience is instrumental to your recovery. Other inpatient procedures performed at our hospitals include total hip, knee and shoulder replacements, fracture care, and arthroscopies.