Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) for Spine patients

By Medical Expert Team

Jul 20 , 2016 | 2 min read

Our spine performs major functions like movement, protection, support, coordination, and control of the entire system. Therefore, any spinal disorder requires serious intervention and should not be ignored. Dr. Sonal Gupta says some of the most common conditions that can cause spine-related diseases are stressful workflow, erratic lifestyle, and environmental degradation.

Due to this majority of patients suffer from back pain, pain down the legs while walking, numbness or pins and needles sensations in the arms or legs, and worsening pain while bending or sitting down for a long time. These serious conditions can become fatal that may require prompt intervention, which is of course not less than surgery.

There can be some cases where other treatment options fail when it comes to spine surgery, and here comes the importance of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery or Endoscopy Spine surgery. Minimal Access Spine Surgery or Endoscopic/keyhole Spine surgery is similar to conventional surgery.

The foremost goal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is to stabilize vertebrae and decompress the pinched nerves to relief pain and eliminate painful symptoms by decreasing pressure on nerves that are caused by herniated discs, spinal stenosis, bone spurs, or tumors.

Who are the Right Candidates for MIS Surgery?

People who have severe back pain, numbness, or weakness in upper or lower limbs and are not responding to non-surgical treatments like non-steroidal, painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and physiotherapy are considered for surgery. However, they require further investigations like CT Scan/X Ray/MRI to confirm whether there is a bulging or protruding disc that can be corrected by surgery.

Advantages of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Endoscopic Spine Surgery offers:

Improved surgical precision
Less blood loss besides
Short Hospital stay
Reduced postoperative pain
Less chances of infection
Lesser Scarring
Low risk
Faster recovery ensuring healthy living.

MISS also treats diseases like Cervical or Lumbar Spondylosis, which is a degenerative change in the bones, discs, and joints of the neck, primarily caused due to the normal wear and tear of aging. Aging in middle-aged and elderly people causes the discs of the cervical spine to break down, lose fluid and become stiff.

If Cervical Spondylosis, becomes a chronic condition, surgery is required to remove the pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. The surgery adds stabilization in the form of implants, screws, or through the fusion of vertebrae.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Procedure

The surgery is performed by making small incisions (generally less than half an inch), fusions, and decompressions with the help of tubular retractors to have a clear view of the internal organs of the body. The tubular retractor is inserted into the skin and soft tissues to keep the muscles and tissues open throughout the surgery.

The muscles are then detached from their spinal connections to allow surgeons to insert rods, bone grafts, and screws as required by the surgery. There are other instruments that are also used through the retractors so that the fusion procedure can be completed.