It’s only been about 40 years since minimally invasive surgical techniques began as a serious alternative to conventional open surgery, and the last two decades saw an explosion of popularity for this newer option. Driven by innovations in diagnostic imaging and endoscopic techniques, the advantages of these approaches appeal to patients and doctors alike.
Sanjay Khurana, MD is one of the leading spine surgeons in Southern California, and when a patient doesn’t respond to non-invasive, conservative care, Dr. Khurana turns to his surgical expertise in techniques that ease your patient experience.
Apart from traumatic accidents, surgery is virtually never a first-treatment choice for spine conditions. While sometimes healing is slow, many spinal ailments will heal spontaneously or with conservative medical care. You may progress through a series of treatments before any type of surgery is recommended.
Each minimally invasive procedure requires customizing for the patient. The type and location of the surgical target must be appropriate for a minimally invasive approach. In some cases, the limitations of specialty surgical instruments may require an open surgery approach.
Some spinal surgeries that are regularly performed with minimally invasive techniques include:
When your condition is right for a minimally invasive procedure, you stand to benefit from these five advantages over open surgery:
One drawback of open surgery is the amount of damage that occurs to surrounding tissue. The surgeon works on line of sight, so sometimes, long incisions in muscle tissue are needed to clear the surgical field. This is healthy tissue that’s damaged because of the needs of the procedure and it often takes longer to recover than your spinal condition. Keyhole-size incisions needed for minimally invasive techniques affect surrounding tissue as little as possible.
Without the large incisions, the need for a long stay in a hospital vanishes. Some minimally invasive spine surgeries are done on an outpatient basis. There’s often no need for general anesthetic, which is a key reason why you need hospital recovery time.
Smaller cuts mean less pain. The damage to muscle tissue through open surgery may create more pain than the spine repair.
Minimally invasive spine surgery uses a series of small incisions, sometimes as few as two. Both the imaging system and the surgical instruments can enter your body through incisions that are about half an inch long. These small incisions can heal discreetly.
Those small incisions have another benefit. It’s less likely that small surgical wounds allow infecting agents to enter your body. Infection is a common problem with open surgery. The keyhole incisions account for less bleeding too, both during and after surgery.
The case for minimally invasive spine surgery is clear. Find out if you’re a candidate by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Khurana. You can reach the nearest office by calling or using the online booking link. Make your appointment today.
