Minimally invasive spinal neurosurgery utilizes surgical techniques designed to treat spinal conditions with smaller incisions, less tissue disruption, and reduced trauma when compared to traditional open surgery. The goal is to achieve improved clinical outcomes with faster recovery times, less pain, and a lower risk of complications.

Unlike spinal fusion surgery, which permanently joins vertebrae together, motion-preserving surgical techniques aim to alleviate pain and improve function without sacrificing spinal mobility, to keep you moving comfortably. 

Motion-preserving surgery may be considered for various spinal conditions, including:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis 

If you’re experiencing instability and pain in the thoracolumbar spine (the area of the spine connecting the thoracic and lumbar regions), spinal fusion surgery may be right for you. We offer minimally-invasive options to achieve the same results as traditional open surgery with less trauma to the surrounding tissues.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) is a surgical procedure used to treat neck pain and neurological symptoms caused by problems in the cervical spine (the neck). It involves removing a damaged intervertebral disc from the front of the neck and then fusing the adjacent vertebrae together.

ACDF may be right for patients who are experiencing:

• Neck pain: Severe and persistent neck pain not responding to conservative treatments (physical therapy, medication).
• Radiculopathy: Pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness radiating down the arm due to nerve root compression.
• Myelopathy: Symptoms affecting the spinal cord, such as weakness, clumsiness, balance problems, or bowel/bladder dysfunction.
• Cervical spondylosis: Degenerative changes in the cervical spine causing pain and instability.
• Cervical disc herniation: A ruptured disc pressing on the spinal cord or nerve roots.

Cervical disc replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces a damaged intervertebral disc in the neck (cervical spine) with a prosthetic disc. Unlike Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF), which fuses the vertebrae together, disc replacement aims to preserve the natural motion and flexibility of the neck. 

Cervical disc replacement is typically considered for patients with:

• Neck pain: Severe and persistent neck pain not responding to conservative treatments (physical therapy, medication).
• Radiculopathy: Pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness radiating down the arm due to nerve root compression.
• One- or two-level disc disease: The procedure is generally more successful for single or two-level disc replacements. More extensive disease may require a different approach.
• Good bone quality: Adequate bone quality is essential for successful implant integration.
• Suitable anatomy: The patient's anatomy must be suitable for the implant.

Lumbar fusion is a surgical procedure used to treat pain and instability in the lower back (lumbar spine). It involves joining two or more vertebrae together to create a solid, immobile unit. This eliminates motion between the fused vertebrae, which can alleviate pain caused by instability or degeneration.

Lumbar disc replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces a damaged intervertebral disc in the lower back (lumbar spine) with a prosthetic disc. Unlike lumbar fusion, which permanently joins vertebrae together, disc replacement aims to preserve the natural motion and flexibility of the spine.

A facetectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a portion or all of a facet joint in the spine. Facet joints are small joints located between the vertebrae that help guide and limit spinal movement. A facetectomy is performed to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves caused by arthritis, bone spurs, or other conditions affecting the facet joints.

A laminectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a portion of the lamina, a bony arch of the vertebra, to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This decompression helps alleviate pain and other symptoms caused by spinal stenosis, herniated discs, or other conditions that compress the neural structures.

A microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to remove a herniated (ruptured or bulging) intervertebral disc that's compressing a nerve root, causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or arm (radiculopathy). It's considered a minimally invasive approach because it involves a smaller incision and less tissue disruption compared to traditional open discectomy.

Neuromodulation is a non-invasive or minimally invasive treatment option for chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain (nerve pain) that hasn't responded to other therapies. It works by delivering mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord, disrupting pain signals and providing pain relief.

A spinal cord stimulator is a small, battery-powered device, about the size of a matchbox, that's implanted under the skin, usually in the buttock or abdomen. Leads (thin wires) extend from the stimulator and are placed near the spinal cord, usually in the epidural space (the space outside the dura mater, the outermost layer of the spinal cord). The stimulator generates mild electrical pulses that are delivered through the leads to the spinal cord. These pulses interfere with the transmission of pain signals to the brain, providing pain relief.