In this article, Dr. Gurneet Shawney, one of the best spine surgeons in Mumbai talks about “What is Spine Surgery and what are the different types of treatments for it?”
Dr. Gurneet Singh Sawhney belongs to the new generation of ultra-modern neurosurgeons in India. He is acclaimed for his excellent competence in treating complex and critical brain and spinal cord disorders. He is also an accomplished and dynamic neurosurgeon with extensive training in minimally invasive surgery and neurotrauma procedures.
In the event that you’ve been suffering from back discomfort for an extended period of time, you may be questioning whether spine surgery is your sole alternative. Surgical intervention is sometimes the only option.
There is, however, some good news. The vast majority of back problems can be resolved without the need for surgery, which is why non-surgical treatments are also known as conservative therapies or non-surgical treatments.
When your spine is injured by factors such as aging, poor body mechanics, trauma, and structural irregularities, you may experience back pain and other symptoms such as leg discomfort and/or numbness or possibly even leg weakness.
Diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain are often carried out by a multidisciplinary team of health care specialists. Think about receiving many opinions from different spine doctors before making a final decision on surgery.
Putting in the effort to acquire information and spend the time necessary will allow you to make an informed treatment selection that will best complement your lifestyle and desired level of physical activity.
What about non-surgical, conservative treatment options?
The Leading spinal surgeon from Mumbai Dr Gurneet Singh opines that, If you are considering a non-emergency spinal surgery, you should first try non-operative treatments such as physical therapy, pain medication (ideally an anti-inflammatory), or bracing before considering surgical options.
The duration of a conservative treatment trial varies, but it is typically between six weeks and six months in most cases.
Surgical intervention for the spine may be recommended if non-surgical treatments such as medicines and physical therapy fail to provide adequate relief from symptoms.
A herniated disc, scoliosis, or spinal stenosis are all examples of conditions in which surgery is considered only when the particular source of discomfort can be identified.
Open spinal surgery vs. minimally invasive spinal surgery: which is better?
Traditionally, open spine surgery has been the preferred method of doing the procedure. This procedure requires making a large incision in the operative site in order for the surgeon to be able to see and access the spinal architecture.
However, technological advancements have brought us to the point where more spine disorders can now be treated with minimally invasive procedures.
It is possible to have less time in the operating room since minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) does not require large incisions. This is because open manipulation of the muscles and tissue around the spine is avoided, which results in a shorter operative period.
A reduction in intraoperative (during surgery) manipulation of soft tissues, in general, results in less postoperative discomfort and a quicker recovery, notes Dr Gurneet Singh, spinal surgeon in Mumbai.
X-rays are used during spine surgery
Computer-assisted image guidance allows surgeons to see the operation site with significantly greater clarity than they could previously achieve using traditional visualization methods. Also possible is the placement and insertion of implants like rods or screws, which can be done more precisely than is often possible with conventional procedures.
While the patient is undergoing surgery, images were taken preoperatively (before surgery) are combined with images obtained while the patient is in surgery, providing real-time views of the anatomical position and orientation of the operative site.
Computer-assisted image guidance is used in a variety of surgical procedures. A high level of precision and safety is achieved with the use of computed tomography (CT) before surgery and intraoperative fluoroscopy (real-time x-ray) during the procedure.
There are some patients who are not suitable candidates for MISS operations. There must be a high degree of confidence that the same or better results may be obtained with MISS approaches as can be obtained through an open procedure.
Approaches involving surgery
Whether by open surgery or minimally invasive spine surgery, the spine can be approached from a variety of angles. These are referred to as surgical approaches, and they are described in greater detail below:
Anterior approach: As the name implies, the surgeon enters the spine from the front of your body, through your abdomen, in order to do surgery.
An incision is created in your back as part of the posterior approach. A lateral approach is one in which the passage to your spine is created through the side.
Surgical techniques for the spine that are commonly performed
There are a variety of problems that can result in the need for spine surgery. The following are examples of standard operating procedures:
Intervertebral discectomy or microdiscectomy :Removal of a herniated intervertebral disc. As a result, the pressure on the compressed nerve is relieved by this method. A MISS operation is a microdiscectomy (minimally invasive spinal surgery).
Laminectomy:It is the surgical removal of the laminae, a thin bony plate on the back of the vertebra that allows for more space in the spinal canal and relief of pressure.
Laminotomy:It is the surgical removal of a section of the vertebral arch (lamina) that protects the spinal cord from compression. A laminotomy removes less bone than a laminectomy, which is advantageous.
Both laminectomy and laminotomy are considered to be decompression surgeries. “Decompression” usually refers to the removal of tissue that is compressing a spinal nerve notes Mumbai-based doctor Gurneet Singh a top spinal surgeon.
