Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) causes significantly less pain and allows faster healing than traditional open surgery. Board Certified and Fellowship-trained neurosurgeon Dr. Yan Michael Li, MD, Ph.D., at the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute, specializes in MISS to treat herniated discs, spinal nerve compression, and many other disorders. Call the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute’s office in San Antonio or Houston, Texas, or Upstate, New York, today or book an appointment online to learn more about benefiting from MISS.

What is Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery (MISS)?

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) is an alternative to traditional open methods that require a six-inch incision.

The large incisions used in open spine surgery cause significant tissue damage. But MISS requires much smaller incisions of no more than an inch. Tissue damage is considerably reduced, offering patients substantial benefits.

What benefits does MISS offer?

MISS is faster and safer than open surgery. The reduced muscle and ligament damage offers many benefits, including:

• Close to zero risk of infection
• Only 10% blood loss compared to open surgery
• Reduced risk of nerve damage (denervation)
• Less pain after surgery
• Reduced need for opioid pain relief medication
• Early mobilization (active exercise)
• Easier rehabilitation
• Much smaller scars

Most patients having MISS under the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute’s care go home the same or the next day, less than half the length of an open surgery hospital stay.

What is MISS used to treat?

Dr. Li uses MISS to treat many back, and neck problems, including:

• Herniated discs (damaged pads between the vertebrae)
• Degenerative disc disease (age-related wear-and-tear)
• Spinal stenosis (narrowed spinal canal)
• Vertebral compression fractures
• Scoliosis (spinal curve abnormality)
• Myelopathy (spinal cord compression)
• Spinal tumors
• Radiculopathy (pinched nerves)

MISS can treat most back and neck disorders. Dr. Li will discuss the best approach for you.

What techniques does MISS use?

MISS might use:

Endoscopes

An endoscope is a slim tube with a tiny camera and light. Dr. Li inserts the endoscope into a small incision so he can view your spine on a monitor. He uses these images to guide his instruments.

Lasers

Lasers use light energy. The laser beams penetrate your skin and underlying tissues, removing the need for scalpel incisions altogether.

Retractors

Retractors are expandable instruments that push muscle out of the way without causing excessive damage. They provide a channel through which Dr. Li views the surgery site.

Which MISS might I need?

The MISS Dr. Li recommends depends on your condition. Surgeries he performs include:

• Discectomy (disc removal)
• Microdiscectomy (partial disc removal)
• Artificial disc replacement
• Laminectomy (decompression)
• Interbody fusion
• Corpectomy (vertebra removal)
• Lumbar interspinous spacer insertion
• Sacroiliac joint fusion

Before considering MISS, you complete several months of conservative treatment, which most patients find highly effective. This treatment might include physical therapy, rest, and medication. For unresponsive cases, epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation, and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) offer effective alternatives.

Call the Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Institute today or book an appointment online to learn how MISS can ease your neck and back pain.