There has fortunately been a shift towards boosting spine health. Most workplaces are now opting for ergonomic workstations while physical fitness trainers have incorporated several workouts to protect the spine. Unfortunately, spine issues are still a common occurrence, more so from car accidents and falls. With the rich nerve supply to your spine, the pain experienced in spinal conditions is excruciating, and you are at a significant risk of paralysis with a breach of the nerves’ integrity.
For Provo residents and those beyond, there thankfully now exist multiple ortho approaches to the care of patients with spinal issues. Conservative treatments might suffice for those with mild spinal problems. In this instance, physiotherapy, pain medication, and orthotic appliances are used to hasten healing and alleviate pain and discomfort. For more severe issues, however, surgery might be the ideal alternative. Those who, for whichever reason, cannot withstand the rigors of extensive surgery have the following minimally invasive treatment alternatives.
Foraminotomy
This procedure widens the foramen. This is the tunnel in your back where the nerve roots leave the spinal canal. Foraminotomy relieves the symptoms associated with nerve root compression, also called radiculopathy or a pinched nerve. These include numbness pain, muscle weakness, and tingling. A foraminotomy can treat sciatica, radiculopathy, bone spurs, herniated discs, and foraminal stenosis.
Laminectomy
In this alternative, the surgeon will remove your lamina. The lamina is a part of your vertebra that covers the spinal canal for protection. A laminectomy removes the pressure of back conditions from your spinal cord and nerves typical in bone spurs, lumbar stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and herniated discs. It is performed on any level of your spine. In most cases, laminectomy is a day procedure, and you can go home a few hours after the procedure.
Spinal Fusion
This is meant to permanently fuse at least two bones in your spine using a graft. The grafts used in this instance can be allografts or autografts. Spinal fusion is done from the side of your back or through the abdomen or back.
Several technologies are now used to allow its carrying out with minimally invasive techniques. To guarantee optimal bone fusion, the surgeon might recommend the use of plates, cages, screws, or rods installed through a process called spinal instrumentation. Spinal fusion is used in the management of fractures, spinal stenosis, tumors, degenerative disease, and spondylolisthesis.
Corpectomy
This refers to the surgical removal of your entire or part of the vertebra. It is meant to relieve pressure on your spinal nerves and the cord like that seen in bone spurs, spinal tumors, and stenosis. The discs bordering the affected part from the top and bottom will be removed along with their middle sections. A prosthesis or bone graft is inserted to stabilize the spine after the removal of the affected bones.
Compared to extensive surgeries, the above minimally invasive procedures have minimal blood loss, low surgical site infection rates, and short healing times. They are thus used for even those with comorbidities that might prolong their healing or bleeding times. Provided the procedures are handled by certified orthopedic surgeons in an accredited hospital, you are assured of their safety and favorable treatment outcomes.