Ask the Expert: What is minimally invasive spine surgery?

David Hart
·2 min read

MUNCIE, Ind. – Nothing ruins your day faster than back pain. No matter what you do, how you sit, how you stand, how you stretch and how much heat, ice, or both, you put on it, it just won't seem to go away.

Luckily for most individuals, this type of pain can and will go away on its own, depending on the type of injury or overuse. But for those less lucky individuals, this can be either an acute or chronic issue that will need to be treated in order for any type of relief to finally come. For some, this relief comes in the form of injections, physical therapy, or traditional "Open" spine surgery, but for others, a Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery may be the way to go.

Like its name alludes to, minimally invasive spine surgery allows surgeons access to the spine through smaller incisions. Through these incisions, they are able to use a series of scopes and tools to complete the surgery.
Like its name alludes to, minimally invasive spine surgery allows surgeons access to the spine through smaller incisions. Through these incisions, they are able to use a series of scopes and tools to complete the surgery.

What is minimally invasive spine (MIS) surgery?

Like its name alludes to, this type of surgery allows surgeons access to the spine through smaller incisions. Through these incisions, they are able to use a series of scopes and tools to complete the surgery.

Who is a candidate for MIS surgery?

MIS surgery is not something that is recommended for everyone experiencing back pain, and it must be a conversation between both you and your primary care doctor, as well as between you and your neurosurgeon. But a good candidate for MIS surgery could be someone with one of the following conditions:

  • Degenerative disc disease

  • A herniated disc

  • Lumbar spinal stenosis

  • Spinal tumors

  • Spinal infections

  • Spinal instability

  • Scoliosis

  • Vertebral compression fractures

Any surgery, including MIS surgery, is not usually the first tactic that is suggested for someone experiencing back pain. There are a lot of other options available before any surgical means is suggested, including physical or occupational therapy, sports medicine primary care physician visits, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist visits, interventional pain specialist visits and injections.

What are the advantages of MIS surgery compared to traditional?

Compared to traditional, "Open", spine surgery, the main benefits of MIS surgery include:

  • Faster return home after surgery - lengthy hospital stays are not ideal for any patient who just wants to get home and rest, so a lot of MIS surgeries only require a few days stay in the hospital, with some surgeries even allowing for a same day discharge from the hospital.

  • Decreased blood loss during surgery - this advantage comes with a second advantage, with less blood loss, it means there is an almost 0% change of needing a blood transfusion during the surgery.

  • Decreased risk of infection - this again equates to less hospital stay time and also faster healing.

  • Minimal scarring - cosmetically, MIS surgery requires smaller incisions which means smaller scars once you are healed.

  • Lower pain medication requirements after surgery - not all of the benefits stop at just the surgery and the healing time after, as having an MIS surgery means that you will need less pain medication to achieve your desired quality of life after your recovery.

David Hart, MD, is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in spine surgery with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Ask the Expert: What is minimally invasive spine surgery?