Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) is a type of surgery which is made with smaller incisions compared to the regular surgery done on the spine. Such small incisions mitigate damage of tissues, reduce hospitalization period and increase recovery time.
Techniques for performing MISS have evolved in the last two decades. Cameras are used in holes as small as keyholes to view the affected area and Fluoroscopes or X Ray machines keep the spine monitored during the operation.
People from all over the globe are visiting India for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, thanks to the low cost and highly skilled expertise and state of art facilities.
Since Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is new, it is open to developments. Since disadvantages are found in other surgeries too, detailed discussions with the surgeon and experts are important, before going for MISS.
Since the incisions are small, the pain, chances of infection, tissue damage and other related complications are also reduced. The recovery time is relatively faster than standard surgery methods.
Access to deep laden tissues in the vertebrae, nerves and discs, is performed with fewer hassles in MISS.
Usually after any surgery, human body undergoes a trauma, which is mitigated in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
Need to place instrumentation like rods and screws are less cumbersome. In traditional methods, it requires extensive removal of muscles and tissues on the spine surface.
Routes like Direct Lateral Access Routes, where the spine is approached through body sides, minimize pain. In Thoracoscopic Access Routes, front portions of thoracic spine, which is located in chest and surrounded by heart and lungs, is accessed. Such routes are risky in traditional methods.
Since medication is minimal, possibilities of getting dependent on medicines is also reduced.
Physical therapy is also reduced in MISS.
Before going into the disadvantage details, one should be aware that such disadvantage possibilities could be reduced by having a detailed discussion with the doctor before the surgery.
Besides drawbacks such as allergic reactions, bleeding, blood clots, infections, paralysis, pseudarthrosis, the versatility of the surgeon in employing MISS, counts. The expertise of the doctor in MISS, if poor, capsizes the entire purpose of performing the operation.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is not recommended for all surgeries. Spinal tumours and severe scoliosis are cured by open surgery rather than MISS.
The increased exposure to radiation is not advisable for all cases.
Spinal fluid leak, if occurred during MISS, would be tough to be repaired.
Presence of spinal defect, severe deformity, previous spinal surgery makes one ineligible for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
English
Bengali
Hindi
Kannada
Malayalam
Tamil
Telugu