Three Top Benefits of Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spinal Fusion

There’s never a good time to undergo neck or back surgery, but if you find yourself in this position you must be familiar with all your options. And in today’s day and age, that includes minimally invasive surgery.

Minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery is preferred to traditional open back surgery for many reasons. Before we discuss the three top benefits, here’s a basic definition of what this procedure entails:

Lumbar spinal fusion is the process in which a surgeon will create an incision and use screws to fuse the vertebrae bones together, so that they may grow in properly. Sometimes it is required to remove invertebrate discs or bone spurs in order to properly alleviate pain. 

Now, let’s examine the three top benefits:

  • Smaller incisions: There are two reasons why this is important. First, it results in a speedier recovery process. Secondly, there’s less scarring left behind. 
  • Less muscle damage: With traditional surgery, the surgeon must cut through muscles and soft tissues to reach the surgical site. But with minimally invasive surgery, tissues and muscles can be gently moved out of the way.
  • Less blood loss: There’s blood loss in almost every surgery, but it’s minimized with a minimally invasive procedure. This reduces the risk of infection or the need for a blood transfusion.

So, if you find yourself in need of a lumbar spinal fusion, talk to your surgeon about a minimally invasive procedure. 

Virginia Spine Specialists is an award-winning, minimally invasive spinal care practice with locations in Fredericksburg, VA and Manassas, VA. We also serve these Northern and Central Virginia locations: Haymarket, Gainesville, Culpepper, Front Royal, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Colonial Beach, Tappahannock and Lake Anna.