Blog Post

When you elect to have MISS, there are a number of cosmetic, physical and recovery benefits you can expect from this type of procedure, such as:

• Reduced Risk of Complications: The long incision that comes with open surgery leaves you more susceptible to post-operative complications. MISS procedures only require a few small incisions, which reduce your risk of significant blood loss and infections after surgery.
• Reduced Risk of Muscle Damage: Open surgery requires the surgeon to pull your spinal muscles aside while the operation is being performed. This results in more pain, in addition to muscle and soft tissue damage. Conversely, MISS procedures do not involve these muscles to be handled in such a manner, meaning there is less risk to the tissue around the site of incision.
• Less Pain: Open surgery can cause greater discomfort due to the larger incision that is necessary. MISS procedures usually result in less discomfort, as well as significantly shorter hospital stays. Experiencing less pain may also reduce the quantity of painkillers needed after surgery.
• Quicker Recovery Time: With traditional spinal surgery, lengthier recovery times are usually necessary, especially if the area around the surgical site is damaged. However, MISS techniques allow for a shorter recovery period as a result of smaller incisions that do not disturb the surrounding muscles and soft tissue as much. Patients who undergo this type of surgery can expect to resume normal activities such as driving or returning to work within weeks, compared to the months that are required to recover from an open surgery.

How does Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Work?

Unlike standard spinal surgery, MISS uses smaller incisions to access only the problem spots in your spine. Once the incision is made, a small device called a tubular retractor is inserted to gently push aside the muscle and soft tissue around the affected area. Using this tunnel, a surgeon can then work on the spine with the help of real time x-ray images and specialized instruments without causing additional trauma to the surrounding muscles and soft tissue.

What are the Short-Term Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Spine Procedures?

Two of the most common minimally invasive spine procedures are minimally invasive lumbar decompression surgery and minimally invasive lumbar spine fusion surgery. According to a study from Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), patients who underwent this type of surgery resumed normal activities such as driving or returning to work within weeks, compared to the months that are required to recover from an open surgery. While there was no significant difference between the two minimally invasive procedures in terms of the amount of time it took patients to return to work, those who underwent minimally invasive lumbar decompression surgery were able to drive four days sooner than patients in the minimally invasive lumbar spine fusion group. However, patients in both groups discontinued narcotics for pain management as soon as one week after the minimally invasive spine procedure was performed.

Conditions that May Require Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

If you experience back pain, it is unlikely that surgery is your only option. However, there are certain conditions where an operation may be necessary if other non-invasive treatment options, like medicine or physical therapy, have not provided adequate back pain relief. While spinal surgery cannot fix all back conditions, you may benefit from MISS if you are experiencing one of the following problems:

• Herniated Disc
• Spinal Instability
• Fractured Vertebrae
• Spinal Stenosis
• Scoliosis
• Spondylosis
• Tumor Removal
• Spinal Infection

Don’t let spinal pain hold you back from living your life. Talk to your doctor to see if minimally invasive spine surgery can help.

Dr. Adam I. Lewis has extensive experience in performing minimally invasive spine surgery:

• He has performed 10,000 minimally invasive surgeries since 2001.
• He has been performing minimally invasive cervical motion preservation surgeries since 2012.
• He performed the first motion preserving minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery in Mississippi in 2015.
• He teaches courses about minimally invasive spine surgery and motion preservation surgery across the country as well as overseas in Europe.

Contact us today to learn more about minimally invasive spine surgery or to schedule a consultation with one of our specialists. We’ll find a solution that works for you! Call us at:
Office: (601) 366-1011
Clinical Director: 601-321-1486