Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

What is minimally invasive spine surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery is a type of spine surgery that requires only small incisions to access the surgical site. Unlike traditional, open surgery, minimally invasive surgery causes less trauma to your body and allows you to heal faster.

During a minimally invasive spine surgery, the Apex Spine and Neurosurgery team uses specialized instruments that fit through the small incisions to remove tumors, damaged discs, or bone spurs.

They also use a special microscope with an attached camera that sends real-time images of the spinal structures to an external monitor. This allows your surgeon to complete surgery with a higher level of precision than may be possible with open surgery.

What types of minimally invasive spine surgery are available?

The Apex Spine and Neurosurgery team offers several types of minimally invasive spine surgeries and uses the latest techniques to optimize your results. Depending on your underlying spine condition or type of injury, you may need a minimally invasive surgery like:

Microdiscectomy or discectomy

A microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive procedure to remove portions of damaged discs from the spine to relieve pressure on surrounding nerves.

In a discectomy, your surgeon removes part or all of a herniated disc that compresses nerves.

Spinal fusion

Spinal fusion surgery involves the implantation of a piece of bone (a bone graft) into your spine. This graft fuses with your existing bone to stabilize your spine and alleviate pain.

Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF)

XLIF is a minimally invasive surgery to perform a lumbar spinal fusion by accessing the spine through the side of your body.

Maximum access surgery posterior lumbar interbody fusion (MAS® PLIF)

MAS PLIF is a minimally invasive surgical technique to improve spinal stability and relieve chronic pain in your lower back, legs, and feet. It’s most commonly performed at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 vertebrae.

Though many surgeons are limited to one surgical approach, the neurosurgeons at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery are highly skilled in approaching the spine from the anterior, posterior, or lateral side to ensure you receive the best possible treatment. Their extensive experience allows them to serve as instructors for other surgeons in a variety of minimally invasive techniques.

What are the benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery?

Because minimally invasive spine surgery techniques involve small incisions, your risk for bleeding and infection are smaller than they might be with traditional surgery.

You can also expect to heal faster and get back to your usual routine in less time with minimally invasive surgery than with open surgery.

The team at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery can treat a variety of underlying spine injuries and conditions using minimally invasive techniques. They can operate with more precision and accuracy using the specialized surgical tools and other technologies.

To find out if you’re a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery, call the Apex Spine and Neurosurgery office nearest you, or request an appointment through the online booking system today.