Consider These 8 Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Spine surgery may be the type of treatment needed to effectively treat conditions like herniated spinal discs, compressed nerves around your spinal column, spinal stenosis, or even spinal trauma. The goal of spine surgery is to relieve pain and restore a healthy, fully functional spinal structure.

When possible, Dr. Andrew Fox, Dr. Ryan Mattie, and the team at Total Spine Institute of Sherman Oaks and Calabasas, California, use minimally invasive spine surgery techniques and approaches. Minimally invasive surgery benefits you in multiple ways. Here are eight great reasons to choose this type of treatment whenever possible.

1. Significantly lessen postoperative pain

Post-operative pain is increasingly recognized as an issue to be avoided as patients recover from spine surgery. Pain prevents your body from healing as rapidly as it could otherwise. A top benefit of minimally invasive spine surgery is the significant reduction in the degree of postoperative pain you can expect to experience.

2. Minimize tissue damage

A large surgical incision results in significant tissue damage, putting your body as a whole through more stress during your procedure. Minimally invasive spine surgery can be completed with your provider making only one or two tiny openings in your skin, sparing the bulk of your tissues from harm or damage.

3. Reduce blood loss

You can lose a lot of blood during traditional surgery. Smaller incisions mean less opportunity for blood loss, simplifying your treatment and sparing your body from stress or shock. You can also plan on a shorter hospital stay.

4. Lower risk of infection

Smaller incisions and reduced blood loss also reduce your post-operative vulnerability to infection. Less damage to your skin means fewer openings where germs can enter. Maintaining healthy blood levels means that your immune system stays strong during and after your procedure and is ready to fight off stray invaders.

5. Shorten recovery time

Often, spine surgery patients have suffered for weeks, months, or even years from symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness. Any surgery involves some recovery, but you complete recovery much faster when your procedure is minimally invasive. That means you can get on with your life now with less pain, sooner rather than later.

6. Avoid muscle damage

When a surgeon has to cut through muscle for a surgical procedure, it means that you’ll need to carefully rebuild the strength in that part of your body for a long time during your recovery process.

The advanced techniques and cutting-edge technology used in minimally invasive spine surgery, including robotic-assisted surgery, muscle retractors, and specialized surgical microscopes and endoscopy, mean you can receive surgical spinal care without the surgeon cutting through key back muscles.

7. Lower risk of painkiller addiction

High postoperative pain levels and long recovery periods after spine surgery increase your potential for developing dependence on opiate painkillers. These medications can be addictive, so reducing your need for long-term pain support through minimally invasive spine surgery makes sense whenever you could be a good candidate.

8. Minimize scarring

After your minimally invasive surgery, your provider closes the small incision or incisions with surgical glue and absorbable sutures. If you have any long-term scarring, it will be minimal and hard to see. You won’t need to limit your clothing choices to hide large surgical scars.

To learn more about minimally invasive spine surgery and to determine if you could be a good candidate, contact the team at Total Spine Institute. Book an appointment online, or call today.