Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: The Treatment You and Your Loved Ones Deserve
For over forty years, lumbar spine (back) surgery was destructive to structures of the spine while at the same time attempting to rectify disorders of the spine. In order to gain entry into the spine to decompress nerves and remove herniated discs, bone spurs, thickened ligaments and cysts that compress the nerves, muscle were extensively dissected off of the vertebrae. This causes disruption to tendons and damage and scarring to the muscles, at times extensive. Additionally, ligaments holding the vertebrae together have to be removed, weakening the spine. Sizable portions of the vertebral bone including portions of the joints are removed to gain access into the spine which can weaken the spine and expose the nerves to scar tissue that could result in further irritation and compression of nerves. In order to stabilize the spine when necessary, these disruptive techniques were also utilized. There are still occasions when these previously standard techniques need to be utilized. However, over the past ten years new techniques have been developed that are far less destructive and traumatic to the tissues of the spine.
