Open Spine Surgery
Advancements in all areas of spine surgery and the resulting benefits to patients have been dramatic in the last 10 years. In traditional, open-spine surgery, a five- to six-inch incision may be needed in order to see the affected nerve root and the disc. In doing so, a large area of muscle also has to be cut to make an opening of three to five centimeters.
Minimally invasive spine surgery, done through an incision that measures no larger than the diameter of a penny, can achieve the same results without the muscular trauma that occurs in open-spine surgery. During minimally invasive surgery, the muscle is dilated instead of retracted. And through the tiny incision, the surgeon works through a very small channel to perform the procedure. The benefits to the patient include less post-operative pain and a quicker recovery.
Not everyone is a candidate for any type of spine surgery, and minimally invasive surgery will not take care of every spine problem, but it’s a form of spine surgery that should be considered.
Whether it is open-spine surgery or minimally invasive surgery, it’s important to remember that it’s still major surgery. We want you to be comfortable with your decision and with your surgeon.