Doctor showing female patient x-rays of damaged spine

Spine Surgery Techniques: Latest and Greatest

Spine surgery is becoming safer and more effective as doctors use robots, other innovation techniques and newer surgical technologies to perform spine procedures. These changes are making back pain treatment a less invasive experience for patients.

 

The latest advancements in spine surgery technology promise to make the process of fixing your back less invasive, faster and more effective than ever before.

 

The most common type of spine surgery is an open discectomy, which involves removing the damaged disc that’s causing your pain. Traditional open discectomies involve an incision in the back and then removing part of the vertebrae to access the disc and remove it. 

 

Now there’s another way: robotic surgeries using da Vinci robots give surgeons a magnified view of the area they’re working on and allow them to operate with greater precision.

Innovative techniques to treat spine problems safely and effectively.

One of the most exciting developments in spinal surgery is the use of robots to perform operations. Using robotic technology, surgeons can now perform procedures that were once impossible, or at least very risky.


The biggest benefit to using robotics for spinal surgery is that it allows surgeons to operate in places where the human body would not be able to withstand the pressure and stress of the procedure. 


For example, one of the most common uses for this technology is in disc replacement surgery. In this type of procedure, a patient’s damaged disc is removed and replaced with an artificial disc that has been pre-shaped by a machine. 


While this type of operation can be done under general anesthesia by hand, it is much more difficult when done manually because it requires a surgeon to hold extremely delicate instruments while trying not to move any part of his or her own body too much while performing delicate movements with those instruments around sensitive areas like nerves and spinal cord tissue.


Using robots instead means that all these steps can be carried out by a machine without worrying about how much pressure is being applied at any given moment because there isn’t any! 


This gives surgeons much more freedom during these procedures than they would otherwise have when doing them manually because they don’t need to be as precise in their movements.

The use of robots to perform spinal surgery is becoming a standard.

Robotic surgery is becoming a standard in spine surgery, and it’s not hard to see why.

 

Robotic systems provide several advantages over open surgery:

They are safer than open procedures. Since the surgeon sits at a console with his or her hands inside an enclosed space, there’s no need for hands-on contact with the patient during the procedure. This eliminates many risks associated with traditional open procedures such as infection and device failure (such as dislodging implants).

 

They’re more precise–especially when performing complex spinal surgeries that require very precise movements of instruments inside narrow spaces around delicate structures like nerves or blood vessels. This allows surgeons to achieve better outcomes while minimizing potential complications such as nerve damage or bleeding.

 

Robotic systems also offer greater flexibility because they allow surgeons to work through smaller incisions without compromising access points. 

 

Finally, robotic systems help lower costs by reducing unnecessary operating room time spent setting up equipment before each procedure. 

 

Robotic technology has been used successfully on thousands of patients worldwide since its introduction about 15 years ago; however due to high costs associated with purchasing new equipment along with ongoing maintenance fees charged by manufacturers/distributors these technologies are not yet accessible outside large institutions.

Doctors in blue surgery gear operating in a surgery room

Newer surgical technologies and procedures for the spine.

  • Robotic surgery: This procedure, which is much like the robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery used in general surgery, was first performed on the spine in 2004. It’s now a common method of performing spinal surgery that allows surgeons to operate through tiny incisions with great precision and control.

  • Minimally invasive spine surgery: In this technique, surgeons use smaller incisions than they would with traditional open procedures while still maintaining access to all parts of the spine. The goal is to reduce pain and disability while speeding up recovery time for patients undergoing spinal fusion or other operations on their backbones.

  • Spinal fusion: Fusing two vertebrae together involves removing them from their natural position so they can be reset into one solid piece. This involves making an incision between two vertebrae (known as an intervertebral disc), removing some disc material from between them (called discectomy), then putting metal plates along each side of both vertebral bodies before screwing them together.

  • Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty: These procedures are used when someone develops compression fractures due to osteoporosis or other conditions like cancerous tumors pressing against bone tissue over time; they involve injecting bone cement into areas where there has been damage caused by compression fractures so that those areas can heal naturally again without requiring any further intervention by doctors outside.

Cervical artificial disc replacement.

The cervical artificial disc replacement is a surgical procedure in which an artificial disc is placed between two vertebrae to replace the natural intervertebral disc. The goal of this surgery is to relieve pain and restore function by eliminating or reducing pressure on spinal nerves.

 

The operation involves removing a portion of the damaged intervertebral disc space, replacing it with an artificial device, then fusing (joining together) the adjacent vertebrae together using bone grafts and screws or metal plates attached to each side of your spine.

 

Benefits: The benefits include pain relief; improved range of motion; reduced risk of future instability or degenerative changes in your spine (such as osteoarthritis).

Minimally invasive sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion.

The minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion procedure is a surgical technique used to treat pain and instability in the sacroiliac joints. This procedure involves joining two adjacent vertebrae with an allograft bone graft, which is commonly harvested from cadaveric donors or synthetic materials.

 

The surgeon utilizes either an open approach or minimally invasive method to access your spine, depending on your condition and overall health status.

 

  • Open surgery: This technique involves making incisions along both sides of the sacrum (lower back), exposing the spinal canal where it passes through each vertebrae in order for surgeons to reach their target area safely without damaging surrounding nerves or organs like kidneys or bowels.

  • Minimally invasive surgery: With this method, surgeons make smaller incisions on either side of your lower back near areas where nerves pass through muscles before accessing them through small openings called portals–this reduces postoperative pain while decreasing risk factors related to bleeding out during surgery.
Examples of before and after spine surgery x-rays

Vertebral augmentation: vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

When you sustain a fracture in the spine, it can be difficult to restore function and eliminate pain. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are two procedures that help to alleviate these symptoms by restoring vertebral body integrity.

 

Vertebroplasty uses bone cement to fill in fractures, while kyphoplasty uses balloons instead of cement to add volume back into your vertebrae. 

 

Both surgeries reduce pressure on nerves and other structures within the spinal column, which should relieve some of your pain symptoms if they’re related to compression from broken bones or osteoporosis (which causes bones to become brittle).

In conclusion.

Spine surgery techniques have come a long way in the last decade, and they’re only getting better. Our team at Long Island Neuroscience Specialists is dedicated to staying on top of the latest innovations in spine surgery, because we know how important it is to get you back on your feet.


We know that when you’re facing a serious injury or condition like arthritis or spinal stenosis, you don’t have time for delays or complications. 


That’s why we use state-of-the-art technology and techniques so that you can count on quick recovery times and shorter hospital stays. And if you’re worried about having to go under general anesthesia, don’t be—we offer several minimally invasive options that will allow you to stay awake during your operation!