Spine Surgery

Types of Spine Surgery

Cervical disc replacement: During this procedure, a surgeon removes damaged disc portions or the entire disc and replaces it with a bone graft or artificial parts. The common benefits of this surgery include more mobility, quicker recovery, improved function, and lower risk of future pain.
Discectomy: This surgery involves the removal of a portion of a herniated or bulging disc that is pressing on spinal nerves, causing pain and other symptoms.
Foraminotomy: During this surgical procedure, a surgeon widens the area around the bones in the spinal column. This surgery helps in relieving the pressure on compressed spinal nerves.
Spinal laminectomy: A laminectomy surgery involves removing all or part of the lamina (the back part of the bone that covers your spinal canal). The aim of this surgery is to decrease compression to the spinal cord. Laminectomy is a common spinal stenosis treatment.
Microdiscectomy: It is a minimally invasive procedure in which a surgeon removes pieces of a herniated or ruptured disc to relieve back pain.
Lumbar discectomy: A lumbar discectomy is spine surgery involving an injured disc in the patient’s lower back region. There are two types of lumbar discectomy: minimally invasive arthroscopic discectomy and open spine surgery. Open spine surgery is the more common procedure for a herniated disc in the lumbar area.
Vertebroplasty/ Kyphoplasty: A kyphoplasty treats a compression fracture. The surgeon uses a balloon and special cement to stabilize the bone. The procedure restores some height to the compressed vertebrae (bones that form your spinal column).
Foraminotomy: This surgery enlarges the space where spinal nerves exit the spinal canal, relieving nerve compression caused by conditions like spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis.
Artificial Disc Replacement: This surgery involves replacing a damaged or degenerated spinal disc with an artificial disc, allowing for continued motion at the affected spinal level.

When is Spine Surgery Required?

Degenerative disk disease, like spinal arthritis, spinal stenosis
Herniated disc with associated complications like sciatica
Spinal instability
Bone spurs and tumors
Scoliosis

Frequently Asked Questions

If you undergo minimally invasive spine surgery, you can resume your normal activities within 6-8 weeks, including bending, lifting, and twisting movements. However, some spine surgeries like spine fusion procedures may take longer recovery time depending on the location and severity of the condition.

The duration of a spine surgery depends on the complexity. But in most cases of minimally invasive spine surgery, the duration is approximately 1-2 hours.

You may have to stay in the hospital for a day or two after your spine surgery. However, the exact duration depends on factors like the type of surgery performed, the complexity of the procedure, the patient’s overall health, and their response to surgery.

Like any other surgery, there are certain risks associated with endoscopic spine surgery or MISS, such as:

Rehabilitation and physiotherapy for recovery after spine surgery begin right after you are discharged from the hospital. Your rehabilitation period may last 4-6 weeks or even longer, depending on the severity of the condition and the nature of the surgery performed.

The most common type of spine surgery is spinal decompression and fusion. In this surgery, pressure is taken off the pinched nerves to make the spine stable. The surgeon relieves the stress from the spinal cord and then stabilizes it by using hardware to anchor the bones in the spine.