spine surgery
DESCRIPTION
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.TRANSCRIPT
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 FusionTLIF : Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody FusionLIF : 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.