In comparison to the well known open spinal operation, minimally invasive surgery (MISS) is growing in leaps and bounds when it comes to patient preference. This is mainly because of the shorter hospital stay associated with it. It is a technique that employs the use of the special devices to access the surgical field without necessarily having to open up the patient. These are a number of the essential principles about minimally invasive spine surgery Long Island residents may wish to know.
Back pain, for the most part, is managed using pain relievers, lifestyle modification and other conservative measures. Surgical intervention comes in when medical management is unfruitful or when pain is too severe to be contained by medication only. Operations may also be life saving for trauma patients, for instance. Other conditions where surgical operation may be indicated include advanced osteoarthritis, infections and presence of a tumors, herniated discs and spinal stenosis.
In preparation for MISS, it is important that the doctor takes a good history relating to the condition in question. The patient should anticipate questions regarding their symptoms, past medical history, drugs they take, whether or not they have any bleeding disorders, among other relevant questions. This is followed by a focused physical examination. The doctor will then order a CT (computed tomography ) scan of your spine to establish the specific location of the lesion. Blood tests are also necessary to confirm that the patient is stable enough for the procedure.
Antibiotics are given prior to the operation to minimize the risk of infection. Minimally invasive surgery can be done with the patient conscious if the regional form of anaesthesia is used. However, general anaesthesia is preferred if the operation is expected to take too long or when the condition is a bit more complex.
Two options are available for anaesthesia; general and regional. Regional anesthesia numbs only the lower section of the body and keeps the patient conscious in the process. General anaesthesia, on the other hand, puts the patient to sleep and is used in cases where regional anesthesia is deemed inappropriate. Anaesthesia also has its own complications including difficult endotracheal intubation, respiratory distress and cardiac arrest. The drugs used are also known to cause nausea and vomiting during the recovery period.
Common surgical procedures in which the minimally invasive technique are used include spine decompression and fusion. Spinal decompression involves releasing pressure on nerve roots through either a discectomy (removal of a prolapsed disc) or laminectomy (removal of part of bone surrounding the spinal canal). Fusion, on the other hand, entails uniting two adjacent vertebrae.
Pain after minimally invasive surgery is much less and therefore patients have a quicker recovery. Less pain can be explained by the fact that smaller incisions are made in MISS and consequently, tissues have less disruption. Physiotherapy is key to ensuring that muscles and joints regain full function.
In conclusion, despite having a higher learning curve for surgeons compared to the open technique, less invasive surgical operation has more advantages in general. It is a relatively new form technology that is bound to be fully embraced in the near future. It is important that patients are given all available options and risks related to each, before a decision is made on what approach is to be used.
Back pain, for the most part, is managed using pain relievers, lifestyle modification and other conservative measures. Surgical intervention comes in when medical management is unfruitful or when pain is too severe to be contained by medication only. Operations may also be life saving for trauma patients, for instance. Other conditions where surgical operation may be indicated include advanced osteoarthritis, infections and presence of a tumors, herniated discs and spinal stenosis.
In preparation for MISS, it is important that the doctor takes a good history relating to the condition in question. The patient should anticipate questions regarding their symptoms, past medical history, drugs they take, whether or not they have any bleeding disorders, among other relevant questions. This is followed by a focused physical examination. The doctor will then order a CT (computed tomography ) scan of your spine to establish the specific location of the lesion. Blood tests are also necessary to confirm that the patient is stable enough for the procedure.
Antibiotics are given prior to the operation to minimize the risk of infection. Minimally invasive surgery can be done with the patient conscious if the regional form of anaesthesia is used. However, general anaesthesia is preferred if the operation is expected to take too long or when the condition is a bit more complex.
Two options are available for anaesthesia; general and regional. Regional anesthesia numbs only the lower section of the body and keeps the patient conscious in the process. General anaesthesia, on the other hand, puts the patient to sleep and is used in cases where regional anesthesia is deemed inappropriate. Anaesthesia also has its own complications including difficult endotracheal intubation, respiratory distress and cardiac arrest. The drugs used are also known to cause nausea and vomiting during the recovery period.
Common surgical procedures in which the minimally invasive technique are used include spine decompression and fusion. Spinal decompression involves releasing pressure on nerve roots through either a discectomy (removal of a prolapsed disc) or laminectomy (removal of part of bone surrounding the spinal canal). Fusion, on the other hand, entails uniting two adjacent vertebrae.
Pain after minimally invasive surgery is much less and therefore patients have a quicker recovery. Less pain can be explained by the fact that smaller incisions are made in MISS and consequently, tissues have less disruption. Physiotherapy is key to ensuring that muscles and joints regain full function.
In conclusion, despite having a higher learning curve for surgeons compared to the open technique, less invasive surgical operation has more advantages in general. It is a relatively new form technology that is bound to be fully embraced in the near future. It is important that patients are given all available options and risks related to each, before a decision is made on what approach is to be used.
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