2. For a small percentage of patients suffering from
back or neck pain, laser spine surgery may become
an option. However, conservative treatments, such
as physical therapy, pain medication, and others are
usually the first line of defense and are often able
to mitigate symptoms that can arise as a result of a
common degenerative spine condition. If several
weeks or months of conservative methods fail to
provide relief, a laser spine procedure could help
treat the symptoms caused by certain spine
conditions.
3. Conditions Treated
Laser spine surgery can be used to treat a variety of degenerative spine
conditions that have resulted in the development of anatomical
abnormalities and the compression or irritation of local nerves, the
spinal cord, or nerve roots. Some of the most common conditions that
can be treated with a laser spine procedure include:
• Herniated discs
• Bulging discs
• Bone spurs
• Low-grade spondylolisthesis
• Sciatica
• Spinal stenosis
• Spinal osteoarthritis
4. Laser Spine Procedures Compared to
Open Spine Surgery
There are many different approaches to spine surgery and the specific approach selected will depend largely on
a patient's condition, overall health, lifestyle, and other factors. There are, however, two main categories of
spine surgery: laser spine surgery and open spine surgery. While each type of spine operation will have the
main goal of relieving symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness, a laser spine procedure is a
far less invasive surgery compared to an open back or neck operation.
For example, during an open spine surgery, a surgeon must make a large incision in the
neck, throat, abdomen, or back, and dissect or detach muscles and other soft tissues to gain access to the
affected area of the spine. A laser spine procedure, on the other hand, requires only a small incision, typically
less than one inch in length. Instead of soft tissue dissection, a series of telescoping tubes of increasing
diameters is placed into the incision, gently pushing aside tissues. These procedures utilize an endoscope, or
camera, which is fed through the tube along with tiny surgical tools and a laser, and allows a surgeon to “see”
inside the spine via images displayed on a monitor.
To relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve root during an open spine surgery, a large portion of spinal
anatomy is removed, which may compromise the structural integrity of the spine. To remedy this, spinal fusion
may be performed, requiring rods, screws, bone grafts, and other supporting hardware to fuse two vertebrae
together and improve spinal stability. Spinal fusion typically isn't necessary after an endoscopic spine
procedure because only the portion of soft tissue or bone in contact with the spinal cord or nerve root is
vaporized or excised. As a result, the spinal anatomy is left largely intact and the spine remains relatively stable.
5. Benefits of Laser Spine Procedures
For a patient considering back or neck surgery to treat a
degenerative spine condition like bulging or herniated
discs, spinal stenosis, or spinal arthritis, laser spine surgery could
offer a considerable number of advantages. These might include:
• No hospitalization – Endoscopic laser spine procedures are
performed on an outpatient basis and no overnight hospital
stay is required.
• A faster recovery – The recovery period associated with a
laser spine procedure is often much less difficult and lengthy
when compared to the recovery after open spine surgery.
6. Understand Your Surgical Options
Before consenting to any elective surgery, a patient
should always consult his or her doctor or a spine
specialist to first determine that all nonsurgical treatment
methods have first been exhausted. Secondly, a patient
should check with a credentialed and reputable laser
spine facility to find out whether he or she is a candidate
for a laser spine procedure. It's important to keep in mind
that, while minimally invasive, a laser spine surgery is still
a medical operation, so patients should be 100 percent
comfortable with all the risks and benefits associated
with his or her chosen procedure.
