As pioneers in our field, we have garnered a wealth of knowledge that is not available to conventional doctors and surgeons. In addition, we have developed state-of-the-art technology and revolutionary diagnostic and surgical techniques that can help you – even if others say you cannot be helped.
Back problems are caused by a number of different conditions, many of which can be diagnosed and treated by our highly specialised ‘aware state’ surgical techniques. In particular Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery or MISS offers new and exciting solutions for the treatment of back pain and spinal conditions.
Unlike conventional surgery where a considerable volume of otherwise healthy tissue is removed under a general anesthetic, MISS is a ‘keyhole surgery’ procedure for diagnosis and treatment and is carried out in a twilight state under a local anesthetic and powerful circulating pain killers and sedation.
Powerful circulating pain killers, 100 times stronger than Morphine, control pain and permit surgical intervention. The patient can thus give invaluable feedback to the surgeon, guiding him/her to the source of pain and improving success in a way that would not be possible under a general anaesthetic.
Our work with patients under local anaesthetics has given us a good insight into the true origins of back pain. Conventional doctors and surgeons on the other hand, working with fully anaesthetised patients, have a relatively poor understanding of the mechanisms and sources of pain.
Offering increased safety for both patient and surgeon, the use of a local anaesthetic facilitates patient feedback which permits more accurate diagnosis and better targeted, more precise surgery. At the same time, it avoids nerve damage which is more likely under a general anesthetic.
Greater accuracy in diagnosis and more precise treatment of the pain source has indicated encouraging clinical results in at least 80% of patients when examined 2 to 4 years later. In addition, rehabilitation and return to work at 2 to 6 weeks is 5 to 10 times faster than conventional surgery.
MISS is more selective than conventional surgery, requires minimal intervention and is an order less severe which means complications are 7 times fewer. In addition, a number of complications including thrombosis, strokes, pulmonary embolism, chest infections and urinary problems are avoided.
A tiny 7.5mm incision means blood loss is at least 10 times less than conventional surgery and destruction of muscle, blood vessels, nerves, tissue and bone is avoided. NB. Some procedures described as MISS use a 50mm incision and should be better described as ‘Minimal Invasive’.
Because MISS is “Day case” surgery, it means 5 – 10 times less hospitalisation than conventional surgery and costs are reduced by avoiding the need for metal implants and for treating complications. At the same time patients recover more quickly and are able to resume their normal work and life sooner.
MISS allows treatment where none could be offered previously and new surgery techniques are expanding the envelope of disabilities that can be treated so that a greater variety of conditions can be addressed in patients of a wider age and infirmity range.
Our minimally invasive ‘keyhole surgery’ techniques cause significantly reduced blood loss which is important for Jehovah’s Witnesses. At the same time minimal disturbance of tissue and spinal function means less surgery and a faster recovery than the ‘overkill’ problems of traditional open surgery.
The Spinal Foundation has been pioneering Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery since 1990 and has been responsible for the development of Laser Disc Decompression, Endoscopic Laser Foraminoplasty and its evolution Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression & Foraminoplasty. During these decades the requirements for “Approval” of new interventional techniques have changed