What to expect from minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery
What to expect from minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery https://phoenixspineandjoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SpineMRI-Surgery.jpg 600 465 Phoenix Spine & Joint https://phoenixspineandjoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SpineMRI-Surgery.jpgMy name is Dr. Daniel Lieberman, and I’m proud of how many patients we’ve been able to help over the years at Phoenix Spine & Joint. As our practice’s Medical Director and a veteran surgeon, I’ve been privileged to perform more than 4,500 surgeries, and I can tell you minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery can be very helpful for patients with certain back issues.
What is spinal fusion?
Spinal fusion is a type of spinal surgery where two of your vertebrae are encouraged to grow together or fuse. Many times, our team is able to use other treatment options to relieve back pain, but in some cases, spinal fusion is the best option for our patients.
Our minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery is typically done on an outpatient basis, and it involves only two basic steps. First, the cartilage and other soft tissue from the disc and/or facet joint are removed, and the bony surfaces of the vertebrae being fused are roughened. Second, our surgeons attach hardware to the two vertebrae to limit their movement.
The rest is up to your body. In fact, your body will view the roughened vertebrae surfaces as damage that requires repairing, and as it repairs the damage, the two bones are naturally fused together.
What are the benefits of minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery?
Many people are wary of spinal fusion surgery because it limits the mobility of a part of the spine. While this is true, the immobility of this portion of the spine often leads to increased levels of mobility in the spine as a whole. In addition to general spinal mobility increases, some other benefit of minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery from Phoenix Spine & Joint may include:
- Better spinal alignment
- Reduced wear and tear on other spinal structures
- Escaping the side effects of pain medications
- Greatly reducing pain levels
- Improving quality of life
If you’re interested in finding out if minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery from Phoenix Spine & Joint can offer these and other benefits to you, there’s only one initial step you’ll have to take.
If you’ve been told you need spine surgery then contact one of our patient care coordinators today for more information or to get a free second opinion.
