Then the surgeon.
Laser spine surgery vs traditional.
Each approach has specific pros and cons and therefore weighing minimally invasive spine surgery vs traditional surgery can make a difference in your surgical outcome for back or neck pain.
Patients often assume that laser means more technically advanced.
In other words laser surgery will theoretically cause decreased blood loss and scarring.
The truth is minimally invasive spine surgery miss can be performed as effectively and probably more effectively without a laser.
Laser back surgery isn t recommended for some conditions such as degenerative spine diseases.
Laser in my opinion isn t a viable alternative to traditional low back surgery.
In rare cases laser spine surgery may not be recommended but when it is it s something to seriously consider as an alternative to traditional open spine surgery.
Main differences between laser and traditional.
However laser spine surgery does not mean that the procedure will be incision free.
No muscle or bone damage.
In the traditional open approach the surgeon s incision goes through the skin to the muscle.
Minimally invasive spine surgery is a newer and innovative technique to spinal care.
Risk of damaging muscles and bone is removed.
Both types of surgeries have the end goal of relieving your pain by stabilizing your spine by taking pressure off your affected nerves.
In fact more than 95 of minimally invasive spine procedures in the u s.
Traditional spine surgery involves scalpels or other precision cutting tools and often entails opening up the back with a wide or long incision.
Hardware is needed to keep things in place.
Doctors who perform laser spine surgery claim that it is more efficient and effective than minimally invasive spine surgery using more traditional surgical methods.
Laser spine surgery vs.
In fact i now have to give the above air quote when i talk about laser spine surgery with my patients.
Laser spine surgery is heavily marketed on the internet and tv as better and safer than traditional surgical techniques and claims to give a quicker recovery these claims are unproven and can be mis leading.
Minimally invasive spine surgery.
An incision is needed to insert the laser into the appropriate area.
A laser is used to make the necessary cuts rather than the scalpel used in more traditional surgery.
Doctors who support laser spinal surgery maintain it is more efficient effective and gentle than traditional methods.
The laser is then used to remove any soft tissues that need to be removed.
Traditional open spine surgery.
Muscle tissues are pulled aside so surgeons can get a good look at the problem and repair it.
Alternatively regenerative stem cell and platelet treatments actually seek to improve disc and nerve health.
Are done without laser.
