The advantages of percutaneous spine surgery
Percutaneous spinal surgery is the utilisation of specaiily adapted surgical instruments and imaging devices to allow the effective treatement of almost all spinal conditions using advanced surgical techniques. There are many benefits to the patient associated with these techniques and include principally the following:
1. A lower amount of blood loss
2. A lower level of post operative pain
3. A faster time to discharge from the surgical facility
4. A lower amount of post operative medications required for pain control
5. A quicker return to work and normal functions of life
6. A lower finacial cost to the healthcare system
7. A lower incidence of infection
8. A lower incidence of damage to the muscles and ligaments of the back
The motivation within the medical community to find improved ways of treating the spinal causes of back pain commenced in the late 1980s when it was observed that the traditional way of approaching the spine with wide aggressive incisions led to a significant amount of collateral damage to the surrounding structures of the spine and very poor clinical outcomes. A large number of patients treated either got worse or derived no benefit from the surgery and a large number would require further surgery. The consequences to the patient of this complications were enormous with the majority of these individuals unable to return to work and forced to livea life in constant pain. The speciality of cardiology provided some of the early insights into the technological developments that would be necessary to allow access to the spinal structures through much smaller skin incsions with an almost non-existent destruction of the muscles and ligaments.
As the advances in the understanding of the underlying causes of spinal pain improved so did the techniques and technology, particularly with the higher resolution video and camera tools of surgical endoscopes.
The speciality of percutaneous spinal surgery will continue to evolve and provide better care for patients with the pain and disability due to spinal disease.
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