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Minimally Invasive procedure is performed through tiny incisions instead of one large opening. As the incisions are tiny, there is minimum scarring, no bone cutting and muscle loss. It is even known to have quicker healing times as compared to traditional surgery. Q. Am I eligible for minimally invasive spine surgery? Almost all surgeries can be treated with minimally invasive surgery. Although, certain conditions require standard open treatment, such as high-degree scoliosis, tumors and some infections. Which surgery to consider should be left upon the patient's diagnosis and overall patient condition. Q. When should I go for surgery? Surgery is always the last straw, when all conservative treatments fail. When non surgical options have been attempted without any signs of improvement between the 6-12 month period, which is reasonable for conditions, such as spinal stenosis, sciatica, spondylolisthesis or degenerative scoliosis, then surgery is recommended. The decision to go for surgery is individual to the patient's symptoms and their level of function. Q. Do I have to continue with my pain medication after my surgery? Will I become addicted? There is no evidence that post-operation pain treatment leads to addiction. Q. What will be my length of stay at the hospital? A typical endoscopic discectomy is performed the same day and the patients are released from the hospital the same day. With minimally invasive spine surgery, usually the patient can go home the same day itself. A lumbar fusion surgery will typically take 5-7 days, but with minimally invasive techniques the surgery is completed within 2-3 days. Q. After surgery, how long will my pain last? Patients who have undergone minimally invasive spine surgery are discharged in half the time of traditional surgery and their pain is also reduced by half as compared to traditional surgery. Each procedure will have a different rate of recovery. Q. When can I resume normal activities after the surgery? This would depend on the nature of the patients occupation. Patients with sedentary jobs, such as office work, it would take around 1-2 weeks to recover and start with part time work. It may take 4-6 weeks for big surgeries. Returning back to normal activities is much quicker with minimally invasive surgery as compared to standard open surgery. Q. How long will it take to recover? The recuperating time can be different for each surgery. Some patients return to full activity within six weeks while other patients require more time. Physical therapy is highly recommended to recover soon. Q. Will I have to wear a brace? Most patients wear a brace for comfort. Braces are basically worn for comfort only. The use of minimally invasive techniques that preserve muscle function, along with specialized implants that act as an internal brace, allows one to avoid having to wear a brace. Usually patients find that braces improves their pain for about 1-2 weeks. After that, it is worn only occasionally. Q. Is it necessary to take physical therapy after the surgery? Physical therapy accelerates recovery. The time will differ from patient to patient, but in majority of the cases, it starts 2-6 weeks after surgery, depending on the surgery performed and the patient’s overall condition. Jasmine Bilimoria is a research writer and a contributor with Same Day Spine. Same Day Spine Institute specializes in minimally invasive treatments of the spine, using latest cutting edge technologies, such as stem cells, laser discectomies, artificial discs, spinal cord stimulators, minimally invasive fusions, etc for spinal treatments.
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