Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

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Advances in surgical technologies and techniques mean that UT Southwestern Medical Center’s spine surgeons can offer minimally invasive options for a growing number of procedures that were historically major surgeries.

Experts in Minimally Invasive Approaches

Minimally invasive spine surgery is an alternative to traditional open surgery for select patients who require spine surgery for conditions of the back, neck, and spine. This surgical approach involves only small incisions, so patients experience fewer complications; have less pain, tissue damage, and blood loss; and recover more quickly than those who undergo open spine surgery.

Because minimally invasive spine surgery is not the best option for everyone who needs back surgery, UT Southwestern’s spine specialists thoroughly evaluate all patients and work with them to determine the course of treatment likely to lead to the best outcome.

Those best served with open surgery are in equally good hands with UT Southwestern’s experienced spine surgeons.

Spine Conditions We Treat

Conditions that can be treated with minimally invasive spine surgery include:

Treatment with Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

UT Southwestern offers minimally invasive spine surgeries such as:

  • Corpectomy: Removal of damaged vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which serves as the cushion between a patient’s vertebrae
  • Diskectomy: Removal of the damaged portion of a herniated disk
  • Kyphoplasty: Injections of special cement into the vertebrae to relieve pressure and pain due to spinal compression fracture
  • Laminectomy (decompression surgery): Total or partial removal of the lamina, the part of the vertebrae that covers the spinal canal, to make space and relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves
  • Laminotomy: Much like a laminectomy, except only a small section of the lamina is removed to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves
  • Ligament resection 
  • Pedicle screw fixation
  • Osteotomy: A procedure that corrects certain deformities of the spine
  • Spinal fusion: Surgery that permanently connects two or more vertebrae in the spine to eliminate motion between them

Patients recovering from spine surgery can benefit from working with UT Southwestern’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation team.

Related Conditions and Treatments

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