Lumbar and Cervical Spine Relief are Possible with Minimally Invasive Surgery

Blog Summary:

• Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) offers faster recovery, less pain, and lower risk than traditional spine surgeries.

• Endoscopic Spine Surgery (ESS) is technically a type of MISS, but often considered separately due to its ultra-minimally invasive approach.

• Both cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) pain caused by herniated discs, stenosis, and other issues may be treated with MISS or ESS.

• ESS uses a small camera and tools through tiny incisions, resulting in significantly lower infection rates and quicker recovery.

• Most MISS and ESS procedures are outpatient, with patients often returning home the same day.

• Candidacy depends on anatomy and diagnosis, not age or fitness—consult an experienced surgeon like Dr. Baig for a personalized evaluation.

It happened again. You threw your back out. Time for more hot and cold relief patches and moving gingerly to avoid making the pain worse. Or maybe you tweaked your neck by twisting it ever so slightly the wrong way. Perhaps you’re living with constant nerve pain that never goes away.

If any of these sound like you, then you should know that relief may be just on the horizon – and more accessible than you think. Pain in both the cervical and lumbar spine can be treated non-surgically or surgically. But if you’ve tried things like exercise and Physical Therapy (P/T) already, it might be time to explore surgical options.

Today, you have more options than you may know. One of these is minimally invasive spine surgery. Let’s uncover the benefits of this relatively new approach to lumbar spine and cervical spine surgery now.

The Importance of the Cervical Spine and Lumbar Spine

The lumbar spine and cervical spine are two of the body’s most important regions. The cervical spine is made up of vertebrae C1-C7 in the neck and it both supports the head and facilitates neck movement.

Meanwhile, the lumbar spine is made up of vertebrae L1-L5 and it bears a large bulk of the body’s weight, while also acting as a shock absorber during movement.

Conditions like herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and more, can unfortunately impact one or both of these regions, causing pain that radiates far beyond these regions of the body and into the limbs.

If you find yourself here, you’re probably all too familiar with this type of pain. You may have even been told that you need fusion. But that may not be the case. Depending on your situation, you may be an eligible candidate for a modern type of spine surgery that can be performed on the cervical or lumbar spine called minimally invasive surgery.

What is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?

Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS for short) is not a type of surgery so much as it a novel approach to different types of surgery. For instance, microdiscectomies to fix herniated discs and laminectomies to help treat spinal stenosis can both be performed as minimally invasive surgery.

While not everyone is a candidate for MISS, most people are. From herniated disc-related pain to nerve compression and spinal instability, various conditions are potentially treatable with this cutting-edge procedure.

Evaluating candidacy for MISS is more about finding the right match for your anatomy and specific diagnosis than about your age or level of physical fitness. Curious if you might qualify? Check out our blog post on who’s a good candidate for MISS.

Recovery Time Expectations

Compared to traditional methods of spine surgery, such as spinal fusion, recovery times for minimally invasive spine surgery are markedly faster. For instance, cervical fusion usually involves 2-4 weeks of recovery. MISS (including endoscopic options) generally requires just 2 days to about a week of recovery.

Why? MISS:

• Helps limit blood loss

• Requires less pain medication

• Usually is an outpatient procedure where you can head home on the day of surgery

Most patients who come to us for MISS report noticeable pain relief and improved mobility within just days of their procedure.

Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Endoscopic spine surgery can treat varied cervical and thoracic spine conditions ranging from spinal stenosis to herniated discs and radiculopathy.

As we covered in our informative blog post “Can Endoscopic Spine Surgery Improve Your Quality of Life Without the Downtime?”, while it’s technically a type of MISS, it’s often classified separately due to its special nature:

“ESS involves the use of a small camera, or endoscope, and various tools inserted into the tissue near the spine via very small incisions. ESS is different from traditional open back surgery such as fusion, and while it is technically a type of minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS), many providers put it into its own category separate from MIS because it is an ultra-minimally invasive way of performing spine surgery.”

Benefits of ESS are similar to those of MISS, including minimal tissue and muscle disruption, less blood loss, and notable reduction in surgical infections. In fact, ESS is associated with a 16x decrease in infections compared to traditional (open) surgery!

Can You Have Cervical and Lumbar Spine Surgery at the Same Time?

If you’re experiencing neck and back pain, as many people often do, you might be wondering if you can have both cervical and lumbar spine surgery performed simultaneously. The answer is no. (This is generally true whether you’re having minimally invasive surgery or not, by the way).

But why? Because cervical spine surgery is often approached from the front of the neck. Lumbar spine surgery, on the other hand, is usually approached from the back or the side. Due to the different positioning and the level of risk involved, these surgeries are not normally performed together.

Are There Downsides to MISS & ESS?

For most patients who are eligible, there are no major downsides. MISS and ESS are generally considered safe and effective procedures that allow a faster return to life with minimal downtime and disruption.

There’s one exception we should make here. MISS or ESS performed in the wrong hands can be problematic at best. Being relatively newer approaches to spine surgery, both MISS and ESS require rigorous training to complete safely and effectively. So a surgeon’s experience matters a lot when considering these procedures.

Could MISS or ESS Be Right For Me?

There’s one way to find out: reach out and request a medical evaluation!

At Desert Spine and Scoliosis Center, Dr. Rafath Baig has years of experience performing both types of surgery in both the lumbar and cervical spine, and his compassionate approach means that every patient gets a 45-minute initial consultation to discuss their concerns and be briefed on what their options are based on their evaluated condition and treatment goals.

Whether you’re suffering from neck and arm pain or back and leg pain, Dr. Baig and the Desert Spine team can help!