Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) might be recommended if your back pain doesn’t improve with non-surgical treatment such as medication or physical therapy. It is often an alternative to more traditional surgeries for patients who are considered candidates.

Our orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons are skilled in the use of minimally invasive techniques that incorporate advanced navigation and robotics procedures, leading to faster recovery, less discomfort and shorter hospitalizations.

Minimally invasive procedures enable our surgeons to access problematic areas of your spine without interfering with the surrounding muscles and soft tissue. Types of minimally invasive procedures include spinal fusion, spinal decompression and diskectomy.

During a MISS procedure, one or two small incisions are made in the skin. These smaller incisions result in less pain and a faster recovery than traditional surgery, which requires longer, more invasive incisions and manipulation of muscle and soft tissue. A tube is then inserted into the incision to allow specialized video cameras and instruments to reach the surgical site.

You may be deemed a candidate for a MISS procedure if your surgeon can determine the exact location of your symptoms and whether the area can be successfully accessed through smaller incisions.

Adult candidates for MISS often include those with:

• Spinal stenosis
• Herniated disc
• Spinal instability

Other conditions may be appropriate for MISS after a full evaluation to determine an individual’s best option for a successful outcome. These include:

• Cervical spondylosis
• Degenerative or slipped discs
• Kyphosis
• Scoliosis
• Spinal tumors
• Vertebral compression fractures