80 percent of adults experience, low back pain at some point in their lifetime

Living with back pain is no fun. In many cases, back surgery should be the last resort.

But, minimally invasive spine surgery might be an option if conservative treatments have not helped with persistent pain.

Back pain is one of the most common health issues among adults, young and old alike.

In fact, 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime.

“If it is sharp severe pain, especially radiating down your arms or legs, that tends to be a symptom of a more serious problem. Again, if you are having weakness, numbness, or bowel and bladder changes,  that definitely is more of a worrisome symptoms,” said Medical Center Neurosurgeon.

Neurosurgeon, who performs 300 back surgeries a year, says, while surgery may be the best option to help relieve certain types of back pain, it is important for patients to know what options are available, like minimally invasive spine surgery.

“Now we can do those steps with very small incisions, 9mm to 24mm depending on whether it is cervical or lumbar. The guidance and the visual guidance of our procedure is done more with either a 3D computer guidance or intraoperative x-ray, or sometimes with intraoperative endoscopes, arthroscopes in the spinal canal,”.

The goal is to have you come out of the surgery and back on your feet quickly.

“The minimally invasive surgery allows patients to get out of the hospital sooner, including making some procedures outpatient that might have been inpatient one or more night stay. But also getting back to their home routine, office, and driving more quickly,”.

Surgery is usually not first-line therapy for acute or chronic back pain issues.

“A good place to start is with over the counter medicines, rest, ice or heat. If those things aren’t helping adequately then seeing one’s primary care doctor for evaluation and having them decide whether an MRI, for instance, is necessary to better understand why it is persisting,”.

More adults are seeking medical treatment for back pain, options for treatment are numerous, and treatments are improving all the time.

Minimally invasive spine surgery utilizes small incisions, reduces risk of trauma to the muscles, nerves, and other tissues, less bleeding, scarring and the reduced use of narcotics and hospital time.

Why might I need minimally invasive spine surgery?

• Herniated disc
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Spinal deformities (like scoliosis)
• Spinal instability
• Spondylolysis (a defect in part of a lower vertebrae)
• Fractured vertebra
• Removal of a tumor in the spine
• Infection in the spine

What are the benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery?

• A few tiny scars instead of one large scar
• Shorter hospital stay – a few days instead of a week
• Reduced postoperative pain
• Shorter recovery time – a few months instead of a year – and quicker return to daily activities, including work
• Less blood loss during surgery
• Reduced risk of infection

What are the risks of minimally invasive spine surgery?

• Infection
• Excess bleeding
• Pain at the graft site
• Nerve damage
• Blood clots
• Complications from anesthesia
• Leaking of spinal fluid. This may cause headaches or other problems.
• Not enough relief of your back pain

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