Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for Herniated Discs and Spinal Stenosis

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is a new and popular type of surgery that offers patients an alternative to traditional spine surgery. The benefits of MISS include the following:

• Less time in surgery
• Less time in the hospital
• A fast recovery
• A less noticeable scar

Patients who have undergo minimally invasive spine surgery can experience symptom relief in a short period of time without the need for multiple nights stay in a hospital. Two of the most common conditions that MISS effectively treats include a herniated disc and spinal stenosis.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for a Herniated Disc

Discs are soft tissue structures that sit between adjacent vertebrae. The role of discs is to lessen the load placed on the spine. For this reason, discs are sometimes referred to as "shock absorbers". Each disc is composed of an outer rim of collagen fibers known as the annulus and an inner gel-like nucleus.

A disc herniates when the nucleus pushes through the annulus. In many cases, a herniated disc protrudes into the spinal canal and compresses a spinal nerve root. This can cause symptoms of pain in the spine and/or the extremities.

A minimally invasive discectomy can be performed to remove part of a herniated disc and decompress the nerve.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for Spinal Stenosis

The spinal canal is a structure that is formed by the perfect alignment of spinal vertebrae. The spinal canal is very important because it protects the spinal cord. Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the spinal canal. The most common cause of spinal stenosis is vertebral osteoarthritis—a condition that is characterized by the wear and tear of vertebral bone and soft tissue.

Vertebral osteoarthritis that has developed into moderate to advanced stages can cause bony overgrowths known as bone spurs. Bone spurs that form near the spinal canal can cause it to narrow and compress a nerve root. Symptoms similar to those of a herniated disc may present when a spinal nerve root is compressed. A minimally invasive laminectomy may be used to treat spinal stenosis. During the procedure, a neurosurgeon removes bone spurs and the back wall (lamina) of the affected vertebra. This decompresses the nerve and widens the spinal canal.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at Virella Neurosurgery

If you are suffering from unresolved neck, back, or extremity pain, MISS might be the treatment solution to your problem.