WHAT IS MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY?
Minimally Invasive Surgery is a very common terminology if you are a spine patient, spine surgeon, or healthcare personnel who are in the spine industry. It is so common that majority of the spine surgeons and practices marketing themselves as an “MIS” Guy. So what is exactly is it?
Some might say it is the size of the surgery. Some might say it is the “cutting edge” technique. Some might say it is the “Type” of retractor you use. Some might say it is the duration of the surgery itself.
Not every minimally invasive surgery are alike. In my opinion, the best definition of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is from the AO MIS task force which shown here.
“Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is a suite of technology-dependent techniques and procedures that reduces local operative tissue damage and systemic surgical stress enabling an earlier return to function striving for better outcomes than traditional techniques”.
To me, the key to determining whether it is a minimally ivasive surgery is the reduction of the surrounding tissue and more importantly systemic stress.
Basically, the surgery that can be done through a small tiny incision that reduces the collateral soft tissue damage, reduces anesthesia time, the surgery that does not increase the surgical time, and can address your problems effectively….those, in my opinion, are true minimally invasive surgery.
I am a big fan of Endoscopic spine surgery or a TRUE minimally invasive spine surgery for the reasons above.
