Minimally Invasive Back Surgery

In general, the goal of the minimally invasive spine or back surgery is to stabilize the vertebral bones and spinal joints and/or relieve the pressure being applied to the spinal nerves often a result of conditions such as spinal instability, bone spurs, herniated discs, scoliosis or spinal tumors.

Minimal invasive back surgery in recent years has become a common option for many patients with chronic spinal issues if the recovery goes well.

There are two main goals of minimally invasive back surgery:

1. Decompression: Spinal decompression involves removing tissue that is compressing nerve structures, such as a spinal nerve root and/or the spinal cord. Bone spurs or fragments from a herniated disc are examples of tissues that can cause neural compression.
2. Stabilization: Abnormal movement of one or more levels or segments of the spine can cause back or neck pain.

As with any surgical procedure, no matter how minimal, there are certain risks associated that include, but are not limited to:

Advantages of having a minimally invasive back surgery

There are some advantages that come with the surgery compared to the traditional open spine surgery, which includes:

• Faster recovery period.
• There are fewer overall risks associated with minimally invasive spine surgery when compared to open spine surgery.
• The smaller incisions reduce the risk of infection and reduce scarring.
• The use of tiny instruments and cameras helps reduce the risk of blood loss or damage to surrounding muscles and tissue.
• Minimally invasive back surgery also frequently doesn’t require an overnight stay in the hospital. Less anesthesia is required, as the surgeries generally take less time to perform than traditional open surgery.
• Most patients require less narcotic pain reliever in the days following surgery.

Most patients go home on the same day or in 1 to 2 days after Minimal Invasive surgery. When you are home, you will need to rest but you can resume your normal diet as soon as you feel like you can.

Minimally Invasive Back Surgery Recovery Period

Many people who have undergone minimally invasive back surgery will be able to return to normal activities in approximately six weeks. During the first six weeks post-surgery, most patients will need to restrict activities, though the degree to which activity is restricted will be determined by your surgeon based on your overall health and recovery process.

After the surgery, you may have mild pain and soreness as you start to move around. However, this pain will improve in a relatively short amount of time. Your doctor can prescribe you a pain killer or recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever.

You must take care of the surgical wound after returning home. Some fluid leaking from the incision is normal, but if you see large amounts of fluid, or develop signs of infection like a fever or worsening pain.

Why is the recovery period for minimally invasive back surgery shorter?

There are 3 main reasons why the recovery period is often shorter than with traditional open spine surgery:

1. The incision made is much smaller than in open spine surgery. Unlike in an open surgery, where incisions are often 5-6 inches in length the incisions in a minimally invasive surgery may be less than half an inch. Smaller incisions take less time to heal.
2. Due to the fact that the muscles protecting the spine do not need to be unattached from the bone. Instead, the muscles can be pushed out of the way, rather than having to be attached and then reattached.
3. Recovery from minimally invasive spine surgery is also faster than open spine surgeries due to reduced postoperative pain. Because there is less irritation to the muscles and surrounding soft tissues, and there are smaller incision sites, there’s therefore much less pain following the surgery. Since the pain is less severe, most are able to begin their physical therapy and recovery program sooner than those who have had open spine surgery.

Physical Therapy after Minimally Invasive Back Surgery in Kenya

Physical therapy may be recommended after the surgery. Sessions typically involve:

• Stretching exercises
• Strengthening exercises
• Education on spinal precautions

After the recovery period, the quality of life drastically improves for most patients. The relief in pain allows you to once again be active, and healthy without having to worry about pain.

Patients often talk about all the activities they missed doing while they were in pain and how much they love doing them again after their procedure.