What is minimally invasive surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery is performed using techniques that are barely intrusive, especially when compared with open surgery. During a minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Cohen makes very small incisions — typically one or two — and uses specialized surgical tools in narrow tubes that are easily inserted through the incisions.
Depending on the type of surgery, Dr. Cohen uses an operating microscope or an endoscope to see the surgical site. Both provide lighting and a magnified view of your spinal tissues.
What are the benefits of minimally invasive surgery?
The primary benefit of minimally invasive surgery is that it avoids the trauma caused by open surgery. During open surgery, your surgeon makes one long incision that cuts through the skin and underlying muscles and tissues. Then the tissues are pulled back until the opening is large enough for the surgeon to access your spine.
Minimally invasive surgery is a muscle-sparing technique because Dr. Cohen doesn’t need to cut the muscles. Instead, he makes a small cut through your skin, then uses a retractor to gently move muscle fibers out of the way, gradually creating a space that accommodates the narrow tools.
You’ll also gain health benefits such as:
- Less bleeding during surgery
- Reduced pain after surgery
- Lower risk of infection
- Minimal scarring
- Quicker recovery
- Faster return to normal activities
When you have minimally invasive surgery, your hospital stay is significantly shorter. In most cases, you’ll go home the same day or in 1-2 days. By comparison, traditional surgery means you’ll be in the hospital for at least 3-5 days.
What procedures are done using minimally invasive surgery?
Some types of spinal surgery still require open surgery, but Dr. Cohen performs numerous procedures using minimally invasive surgery, including:
- Lumbar discectomy: Surgery to remove a herniated or degenerated disc
- Laminectomy: Surgery to decompress the spinal cord by removing the back portion of the vertebrae
- Spinal fusion: Surgery to fuse together two or more vertebrae into one bone
These surgical procedures are used to treat conditions such as:
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Spinal instability
- Spinal tumors
- Fractured vertebra
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal deformities like scoliosis
When you need spinal surgery, schedule an appointment online or call Benjamin Cohen, MD, to learn whether you’re a good candidate for minimally invasive surgery.
