Spine Surgery Overview

If you’ve struggled with back pain for any length of time, you may be wondering if spine surgery is your only treatment option. Sometimes, surgery is the only treatment. However, there’s good news.

The vast majority of back problems can be remedied with non-surgical treatments — often referred to as non-surgical or conservative therapies.

CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT

As with all non-emergency spinal surgeries, a trial of non-operative treatment, such as physical therapy, pain medication—preferably an anti-inflammatory, or bracing should be observed before surgery is considered.

* Spine surgery may be recommended if non-surgical treatment such as

medications and physical therapy fails to relieve symptoms.

* Surgery is only considered in cases where the exact source of pain can be

determined—such as a herniated disc, scoliosis, or spinal stenosis.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY

Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS), does not involve long inci- sions, open manipulation of the muscles and tissue surrounding the spine is avoided, therefore, leading to shorter operative time. In general, reducing intraoperative (during surgery) manipulation of soft tissues results in less postoperative pain and a faster recovery.

SURGICAL APPROACHES

Here are surgical approaches and their explaination below:

* ANTERIOR APPROACH: As the name implies, the surgeon accesses the

spine from the front of your body, through the abdomen.

* POSTERIOR APPROACH: An incision is made in your back.

* LATERAL APPROACH: The pathway to your spine is made through your

side.

COMMON SURGICAL PROCEDURES

There are a number of conditions that may lead to Spine surgery. Common procedures include:

DISCECTOMY OR MICRODISCECTOMY

LAMINECTOMY

LAMINOTOMY

FORAMINOTOMY

DISC REPLACEMENT:

ALIF : Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Posterior

Lumbar

PLIF : Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

TLIF : Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion

LIF : Lateral Interbody Fusion

SPINAL FUSION: A surgical technique used to join two vertebrae. A fusion can

be accomplished by different approaches :

SPINAL INSTRUMENTATION

Computer-assisted image guidance allows surgeons to view the operative site in far finer clarity than traditional visualization techniques.

Preoperative computed tomography (CT) and intraoperative fluoroscopy (real-

time x-ray) are generally used, as these enable surgeons to operate with a

high level of precision and safety.