If you are at the point where you are considering scheduling lower back surgery to overcome the pain stemming from a degenerative spine condition, it is important that you do the research necessary to explore all of your options. While your doctor may be pushing for open spine surgery, many individuals can find the same chance of pain relief from a much less invasive endoscopic option, which is why it is so important that you always receive a second or even third opinion before scheduling any type of surgery. The last thing you’d want to do is consent to a highly invasive surgery when you could schedule an outpatient treatment instead.

Obviously, determining the right course of treatment for your specific condition needs to be left up to the medical professionals, because certain conditions will require very specific treatments. That said, with recent advancements in medical technology and our overall understanding of spine health has improved, many patients are finding significant pain relief from new, exciting procedures that weren’t readily available as recently as a decade ago.

Generally speaking, lower back surgery can be separated into two distinct styles: open spine surgery and endoscopic spine surgery.

In years past, when a patient required spine surgery, spinal fusion was the primary option available. This is highly invasive surgery that requires that the patient be admitted into a hospital for treatment. During the operation, a large incision is made, and soft tissue is cut in order to access the spinal column. Typically, the intervertebral disc is then removed and replaced with a bone graft, and the affected vertebrae are stabilized using surgical hardware. This surgery is an excellent option if the overall stability of your spinal column is at risk, such as in the instance that you suffer from spondylolisthesis, but it also comes with several potential risks and drawbacks that should be considered. For instance, as this is major surgery, there is always the concern for post-operative complications, such as infection, extensive scar tissue development, and even Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS). What’s more, as this surgery requires the muscles in the back to be cut, rehabilitation can be rather lengthy.

Endoscopic spine surgery, on the other hand, is a relatively new approach to lower back surgery that is designed to be minimally invasive in nature. These procedures are typically conducted in an outpatient facility, and are designed to treat the same sort of degenerative spine conditions, namely degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and facet disease, without the recovery, rehabilitation, and risk associated with open spine surgery. The big difference between the two approaches is that endoscopic procedures require only a small incision – usually as little as an inch long – to be made in order to insert the highly advanced equipment into the spinal canal. Soft tissue is also gently pushed aside, rather than cut, which limits collateral damage in the body and makes recovery much easier and quicker.

Of course, while each type of procedure has its own distinct advantages, it is ultimately up to your doctor to determine what will work best for you. Furthermore, most people find the relief they require from a regimen on nonsurgical treatments. The point is that you need to explore your options to make sure that you are taking the right approach. You might not be a candidate for an endoscopic procedure, but it is worth checking. To learn more about lower back surgery, speak with a specialist in your area today.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient lower back surgery.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in minimally invasive lower back surgery. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/disc_surgery/disc_surgeries/lowerback/

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient lower back surgery.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: lower back surgery