But minimally invasive spine surgery is not for everyone. People with spinal defects, multiple levels of narrowing of the spaces in the spine (stenosis), or people who have had back surgery in the past may benefit more from conventional open surgery.
Minimally invasive spine surgery is most successful for people whose pain is caused by spinal compression affecting the nerves in the spine. Whenever part of your spine is out of place, it can compress or impinge on a nerve. The pain may be felt in the back, neck, or in a limb, hands or feet.
Such compression may be caused by herniated or bulging discs, degenerated discs, spinal stenosis that can be pinpointed, pinched nerves, and spinal cord compression, or rarely a spinal tumor.
Six questions to answer
#1 The first question is can your pain be successfully treated without surgery?
#2 The second question your doctor will want to answer is whether your pain can be treated with surgery.
#3 Does your pain radiate from the spine down to your arms or legs?
Other questions affecting whether you are a good candidate for minimally invasive surgery have to do with your overall health.
#4 Do you smoke? Smoking decreases blood flow to your spine and could impede healing. It also has adverse effects on certain fusion surgeries, as well as your overall health. In short, smoking decreases the chances of a successful surgery.
#5 Are you overweight? If so, your doctor may want you to lose weight before surgery. While being overweight doesn’t exclude you from surgery, people with excess weight tend to have a higher rate of complications after spine surgery.
#6 Are you active and maintain a regular exercise regimen? People who are in good physical condition have stronger hearts and circulatory systems, which makes them more likely to have a successful outcome from surgery.
At Advanced Orthopedics, our goal is to help you feel better and heal faster. Our advanced clinical skill and compassionate approach to treating your neck, back, shoulder, wrist, knee, and hip injuries and disorders are tailored to you and your particular condition. We embrace a compassionate, patient-first approach to orthopedic care and pain. Combined with extensive experience, innovative technology, and advanced treatments area able to provide you with the most comprehensive treatment plan. We are happy to review your MRI and discuss your options and answer all your questions to ensure you get the best treatment for you. For more information contact us at (407) 960-1717.
