| There are great advances taking place in minimally | | | | surgery may be required to achieve the expected |
| invasive spine surgery. In order to benefit from | | | | results. |
| them, the healthcare consumer must take an | | | | Secondly, do your research and gather as much |
| active role. The best healthcare will not find you; | | | | information as you can on the actual mechanics |
| you have to seek it out. While the United States | | | | of the procedure. How large is the incision? Some |
| offers the highest standard of healthcare in the | | | | surgical centers, claiming that they are |
| world, a vast treatment variation still exists based | | | | "minimally-invasive," actually work through incisions |
| on the doctor and the spine center you choose. | | | | of four to six inches, rather than the smaller |
| These will determine the results you will receive. | | | | incisions that skilled surgeons at true "minimally |
| Minimally invasive surgery is a name given to wide | | | | invasive" centers employ. This may not seem like |
| a range of procedures with a common goal: | | | | a big difference, but a few inches dramatically |
| treatment that is less traumatic to the patient | | | | affects tissue trauma, blood loss and rate of |
| and that allows a faster return to a normal | | | | healing. It also speaks to the experience level of |
| lifestyle and activities. All spine surgery carries | | | | the surgeon - and you want a very experienced |
| with it a significant degree of patient risk, but true | | | | surgeon performing your operation. |
| "minimally invasive surgery" performed only by a | | | | If a spine center claims that they can perform |
| skilled, experienced surgeon, dramatically affects | | | | more than one surgery on your spine in one day, |
| whether or not you have a chance of being free | | | | be suspicious. "Minimally-invasive" not only applies |
| of back pain. | | | | to surgery performed and the size of the incision, |
| Because quality of life issues are at stake, | | | | but also to the incremental nature of the surgical |
| patients considering minimally invasive spine | | | | protocol. True minimally invasive, advanced laser |
| surgery should ask detailed questions about, and | | | | spine surgery separates each procedure by at |
| perform their own due diligence, to ensure that | | | | least one week. |
| they are making the right decisions about their | | | | It's vital to think about these issues carefully. |
| medical care. The following are some of the more | | | | Truly informed patients are much better able to |
| important things to focus on: | | | | deal with adverse consequences than patients |
| First, look beyond the claims of the number of | | | | who don't have the all the facts, or who rush into |
| surgeries "performed" at a spine center compared | | | | making a decision. |
| to the percentage of successful surgeries. | | | | "Over 10 years ago, if you had spine surgery, you |
| "Success" should be defined as restoration of | | | | could expect it to take as much as one year |
| function and return to daily activities without | | | | before you would be able to return to normal |
| impairment and with minimal, if any, pain. It is | | | | activities. Minimally invasive techniques, however, |
| important for anyone considering this type of | | | | are changing the face of spine surgery," the |
| surgery to keep in mind that more than one | | | | Cleveland Clinic reports. |