Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Minimally invasive spine surgery has evolved over the last 30 years to treat and repair a wide variety of spinal disorders including herniated discs, deformities, injuries, and degenerative disc disease. Swift Spine Institute has been using minimally invasive spine surgery techniques since 2002.
What is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?
In contrast to traditional open back surgery that requires a large incision causing more damage to muscles and tissues, minimally invasive spine surgery has become the leading way to treat spine problems. Minimally invasive spine surgery also lessens the hospital stay, (many procedures can be performed as day surgery or 23-hour stay), reduces pain, results in less operative blood loss, allows for faster return to work and activities, and reduces the risk of infection than with traditional open back surgery.
In minimally invasive spine surgery, a smaller incision is made, sometimes only a half-inch in length. The surgeon inserts special surgical instruments through these tiny incisions to access the damaged disc in the spine. Entry and repair to the damaged disc or vertebrae are achieved without harming nearby muscles and tissues when using minimally invasive techniques.
Minimally invasive spine surgery requires extensive training and experience to master the use of the tools, but there is a tremendous benefit for the patient. “The incision is shorter, which means you aren’t cutting through as much muscle and tissue to get access to the damaged area of the spine,” explains Dr. Lynch.
The incision is often only a half-inch in size.
The surgeon uses special tools to access the spine, minimizing the need to cut muscle.
The smaller incision and use of specialized tubular retractors leads to less blood loss during surgery.
Because less tissue and muscles are cut, patients report less pain during recovery.
Less damage to muscles means the body is able to heal faster.
Minimally Invasive Spine Procedures
Experts in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Swift’s spinal neurosurgery program is led by Dr. James Lynch and Dr. Edward Perry, both fellowship-trained in spine. If spine surgery is necessary, it’s important to choose an experienced spine surgeon.
Dr. James Lynch performs a large volume of spine surgeries per year in both hospital and outpatient center settings. Dr. Lynch has been performing minimally invasive spine surgery techniques since 2002. He was the first neurosurgeon in Reno to perform MIS TLIF and MAS PLIF procedures as well as the first to perform both cervical and lumbar artificial disc replacements. He is a national leader in outpatient spine surgery.
Dr. Edward Perry specializes in Minimally Invasive Spine (MIS) techniques and performs over 300 surgeries per year. Furthermore, less than 40 percent of Dr. Perry’s patients require fusions due to his careful patient selection and understanding of spinal biomechanics. He has completed additional training in major deformity and spinal reconstruction techniques. Due to Dr. Perry’s investment in supplemental surgical training, he possesses a unique ability to perform larger complex spinal fusions and revision surgeries on patients who have failed previous surgical interventions.
Our philosophy is to put the patient first by providing honest, compassionate, state-of-the-art care.