This article has been authored by Dr. Saurabh Rawall, who is a spine surgeon at Jaypee Hospital Noida. He has done his MBBS from AIIMS, New Delhi followed by MS Orthopaedics from AIIMS, New Delhi, India. To know more about Dr. Saurabh Rawal or book an appointment, please call 0120 – 412 2222
Spine surgery is an evolved specialisation and a significant amount of research has been done in this field. Earlier the general surgeon who would perform abdominal or orthopaedic surgeries, would also perform spine surgeries. However, with much advancement, spine surgery has emerged as a specialised branch.
Specialists usually recommend spine surgery after the non-surgical methods of treatment fail to cure the person or if the damage to the spine is acute. Initially spine surgery was performed in the traditional open method. Minimal invasive procedure is a breakthrough in spinal surgery.
The process
This technique allows the surgeon to see inside the patient’s body and operate through a much smaller incision. The surgery requires, small incision or few smaller incisions or in some cases no incision at all.
Minimally invasive spine procedure, uses a state-of-the-art technology to minimise the damage to human tissue. Usually, a surgeon makes a quarter inch incisions and inserts thin tubes. Sometimes surgeon might use CO2 gas to inflate and create a space between organs and the skin. A miniature camera, either a laparoscope or endoscope is pushed through on of the thin tubes. Specialized instruments are inserted through the other thin tubes and the procedure is performed. The team of surgeons view and direct the surgical procedure through the thin tube, constantly observing a magnified video on the high definition monitors.
A further advancement in minimal invasive surgery, allows surgeon to perform the entire procedure through just one small incision. Key-hole surgery is one such technique which is used to cure slip disc. In this types, the patient is awake throughout the procedure and only a local anaesthesia is administered. The use of advanced x-ray imaging improves the accuracy of incisions and placement of instruments, minimizing the strain on tissues. High end optics, cameras and lighting systems enable surgeons to visualize key anatomic structures.Lumbar Diskectomy and Lumbar Fusion are most widely performed with the help of minimal invasive technique. It is also used to treat spine stenosis or slipped disk. Cementing to treat bone fracture is yet another procedure conducted through minimal invasion, especially for elderly patients. Bone cement is passed through small holes and the fractured area is reconstructed.
Recovery
- Minimal invasive surgery holds a significant benefit of less pain and faster recovery. For the patient, this type of surgery reduces the stay at the hospital by half. In certain cases like the key-hole surgery, the patient can walk back home after 24 hours max.
- Since, the incision is small and the surrounding muscles and tissues do not come under the surgical periphery, there is low risk of post-surgery infection.
- There is reduced blood loss and thereby less possibility of blood clots or scarring.
Post the surgery, the doctor might recommend physical therapy in order to strengthen the muscles. This depends a lot on the type of surgery, the intensity of the injury, age, bone health etc. Physical therapy boosts speedy recovery and will help you to return to work and daily activities with much ease.
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