Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:

Surgery of the spine can often be performed through either an open surgical approach or a minimally invasive approach.

There are advantages in some cases to having a lumbar surgery performed through a minimally invasive approach, while in some cases it is best to use the traditional open surgical approach.

Some procedures that lend themselves to minimally invasive surgery include:

• Lumbar Discectomy/Cervical Discectomy
• Lumbar Fusion/Cervical Fusion
• Lumbar Laminectomy/Cervical Laminectomy

As the technologies and surgical instrumentation for minimally invasive surgery continue to improve, so will this approach be used more often in lumbar procedures. Be sure to ask your neurosurgeon which surgery option is best for your particular condition.

Reasons to Have the Minimally Invasive Lumbar Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery has been shown to offer the patient:

• Less overall stress
• Shorter hospital stays
• Less postoperative pain
• Less blood loss
• Smaller scars
• Less damage to muscle and
• Faster and easier rehabilitation
• Quicker return to normal activities