What is Laser Back Surgery?

spinal stenosis

Spine or back is an extremely sensitive organ in the human body that requires good care and attention so as to remain healthy. Or else, one might need to face the risk of going under the surgeon's knife. For years, surgeons have practiced back surgery as a lengthy and painful procedure that requires large incisions to be made on the back. As a result of this invasive treatment, patients had to remain hospitalized for weeks. Many times, patients also had to undergo an extensive and painful rehabilitation program so as to recuperate from the effects of surgery. Modern medical science has come a long way since then. With the evolution and use of Arthroscopic or Laser backs surgery, treating spinal disorders is no more a laborious process both for the doctor as well as the patient.

Arthroscopic or laser therapy was first used in the 1970s while operating on knees and shoulders. This treatment involves use of arthroscope, a tiny tube that is inserted into the body through a small incision made around the area that needs to be treated. Over this small tube, a series of large tubes are sequentially placed. The last tube that enters the hole is of the size of a pencil. The entire objective of this procedure is to dilate the skin and the internal muscle tissues rather than tearing them away. Once the last tube is inserted, all the other tubes are removed. Through the final translucent working tube are inserted fiber optic cameras, lasers, suction and other microscopic instruments using which the entire operation is performed by the surgeon. All these instruments can be electronically operated and are connected to a robotic arm.

At present, there are four different arthroscopic or laser back surgery procedures being practiced around the world. These include:

Foraminotomy:
Used for treating conditions such as nerve root compressions, foraminal stenosis, pinched nerves, herniated discs, scar tissue formation, spinal arthritis and sciatica.

Laminotomy:
This procedure is used for removing neural compression and other conditions that can lead to spinal stenosis. This procedure is also used for herniated discs, bone spurs (osteophytes) herniated discs, scar tissue formation and spinal arthritis.

Percutaneous Arthroscopic Disectomy:
In this procedure, pressure that develops on the spinal cord and nerve roots is removed surgically using a laser.

Facet Thermal Ablation:
This procedure is used in the treatment of facet disease. Also, conditions such as facet joint syndrome, facet hypertrophy, facet arthritis, and degenerated facet joints can be treated using this procedure. In this surgery, a surgeon uses a laser beam for destroying a spinal nerve that causes pain in the joints.

Laser back surgery is primarily an endoscopic procedure that is advantageous in many ways. Most importantly, this procedure neither involves any large incisions on the skin nor requires the administration of general anesthesia. The entire surgery is performed through a small hole and gets completed within one hour under the influence of localized anesthesia. In this procedure, there is minimal amount of muscle and other soft tissue damage. Other benefits include less bleeding during surgery, minimal amount of blood loss at the time of surgery, less scar tissue formation and quick recovery. Even the risks or complications are very low with laser back surgery. Also, the patient is not required to spend days and weeks in the hospital and undergo the postoperative discomfort.