One of the goals of new back surgery techniques is to minimize invasive procedures, reports Dr. Gerald Rodts, professor of neurological and orthopaedic surgery at Emory University in an article for "Spine Universe." New surgery techniques use small incisions that reduce the damage to back muscles and leave the body more intact and closer to its original condition before the surgery. New back surgery techniques can reduce recovery time, leave fewer scars and lessen post-operative pain.
Fluoroscopes
Fluoroscopes are small x-ray devices that are inserted into small incisions in the back, allowing the surgeon to see the damage without cutting the entire area open. The surgeon can see the area that needs repair in real time, on a computer screen above the patient. A fluoroscope is flexible and can be adjusted and turned as needed. Computer-assisted image guidance systems provide more accurate pictures of the spine and use less radiation to accomplish the procedure.
Screws
Screws can be placed into spinal vertical bones through the same incision made by the fluoroscope, using a device called a SEXTANT, reports Rodts. The titanium metal screws are made to rotate into place to accommodate various placements in the spine. The threaded screws are put into place following the trajectory of the fluoroscope, allowing the entire procedure to be done without any large, invasive incisions and subsequent scars.
Lasers
Lasers can be used to destroy a hernia that develops on the spine, report doctors at the Biscup Spine Institute. By using a procedure called a percutaneous laser discotomy, the surgeon again inserts a fluoroscope into a tiny incision to locate the herniated disc on the x-ray. A hernia that is causing pain and discomfort is typically bulging from the disc. The laser is inserted along the lines of the fluoroscope and vaporized. The laser procedure is more effective on younger patients who do not have additional degenerative bone disease, generally those under the age of 50.
Kyphoplasty
Kyphoplasty is a procedure that is best used for patients with crippling osteoporosis in the back or those who have had spinal fractures, report doctors at the Anne Arundel Medical Center for Spine Surgery. The new surgical technique requires surgeons to make two tiny incisions on each side of the spine and insert a balloon on each side. The balloons are then inflated to push the spine back to its normal shape and size. The void in the balloons is filled with cement to hold the spine in place permanently, preventing any further degeneration, pain and height loss.
