Minimally invasive spine surgery

Minimally invasive spine surgery, also known as MISS, has no specific meaning or definition. Basically, it is marketing language that implies a lack of severe invasion, that may or may not be the case. The old style open-spine surgery for a simple disc problem used to require a 5-6 inch incision and a month in the hospital, 60 years ago. Miss techniques utilize more modern technology, advanced imaging techniques and special medical equipment to reduce tissue trauma, bleeding, radiation exposure, hospital stays and recovery by minimizing the size of the incision. Modern endoscopic procedures (see below) can be done through a 2 to 5 mm skin opening, with no internal cutting (truly minimally invasive). By contrast, procedures done with a microscope require skin openings of approximately one inch, or more. Since the one inch cut goes all the way down, it can only be called relatively MISS. Minimally invasive spine surgery, also known as MISS, has no specific meaning or definition. Basically, it is marketing language that implies a lack of severe invasion, that may or may not be the case. The old style open-spine surgery for a simple disc problem used to require a 5-6 inch incision and a month in the hospital, 60 years ago. Miss techniques utilize more modern technology, advanced imaging techniques and special medical equipment to reduce tissue trauma, bleeding, radiation exposure, hospital stays and recovery by minimizing the size of the incision. Modern endoscopic procedures (see below) can be done through a 2 to 5 mm skin opening, with no internal cutting (truly minimally invasive). By contrast, procedures done with a microscope require skin openings of approximately one inch, or more. Since the one inch cut goes all the way down, it can only be called relatively MISS. MISS can be used to treat a number of spinal conditions such as degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, fractures, tumors, infections, instability, and deformity. It also makes spine surgery possible for patients who were previously considered too high-risk for traditional surgery due to previous medical history or the complexity of the condition. Traditionally, spine surgery has required surgeons to create a 5-6 inch incision down the affected portion of the spine and to pull back the tissue and muscle using retractors in order to reveal the bone. The wound itself takes a long time to heal; the aim of minimally invasive surgery is reduce tissue trauma and the associated bleeding and risk of infection by minimizing the size of the incision. Some minimally invasive spine surgery may be performed by a spinal neurosurgeon or an orthopedic surgeon and a trained medical team. Typically, they will begin the operation by delivering a type of anesthesia that numbs a particular part of the body in conjunction with sedation or simply give a general anesthesia that prevents pain and allows the patient to sleep throughout the surgery. Next the surgeon may begin taking continuous X-ray images in real time, a process called fluoroscopy, of the affected portion of the spine. This allows them to see what they're operating on, in real-time, throughout the surgery without creating a large incision. At this point, the surgeon may begin performing the operation, by creating an incision in the skin above the affected portion of the spine and then using a device called an obturator to push the underlying tissue apart; the obturator is inside a tube, which is left behind after the obturator is removed, leaving a channel down to the spine. Small operating tools as well as cameras and a light are used through this tube. In other surgeries this is called a trocar; in spine surgery it is called a 'tubular retractor.' The surgeon makes the necessary repairs to the spine, extracting affected disc material out through the tubular retractor and inserting medical devices, such as intervertebral spacers, rods, pedicle screws, facet screws, nucleus replacement devices, and artificial discs, through the retractor. Robot-assisted surgery is another technique that is used occasionally in minimally invasive spine surgery. When the procedure is done the tube is removed, and the wound is stitched, stapled, or glued shut.