New back surgery techniques help prevent scarring.

Frank had a slipped disc in the fall of 1960, and his doctor recommended surgery to eliminate the pain caused by the spinal material rubbing on the nerves in Frank’s back. The back surgery techniques used were highly invasive, leaving Frank debilitated for nearly half the year. After a lengthy spell of bed rest (about 6 weeks) and months of physical therapy, Frank was able to return to work and his normal activities.

When summer approached, however, Frank was reluctant to join his family at an upcoming pool party. He was told that the long scar on his back was sensitive to the sun and would not tan like the rest of his skin. His young daughter told him the scar looked “gross,” and he didn’t want to scare the children. So Frank stayed home.

Back Surgery Techniques Were Invasive

In the past, back surgery of any kind meant that you would be left with a large, sometimes unsightly scar down your back or over your abdomen. Recovery from these kinds of invasive techniques was an often lengthy, often painful process as well. And results could never be guaranteed.

To reach the offending disc and make the proper adjustments, the surgeon had to cut through the muscles and tendons. While adding to the recovery time, these back surgery techniques left the muscles weaker. When you factor in the crude sutures used to close the incision, you were left with glaring proof that you had undergone major back surgery.

Fast Forward

Thanks to new, less invasive back surgery techniques, those horror stories are very few and very far between today. Instead, many back surgeries are so minimally invasive that you almost need a magnifying glass to see the tiny incision that remains.

Minimally invasive surgery, also referred to as MIS or endoscopic surgery, is the preferred method of the back surgeons at the Southeastern Spine Institute. And even endoscopic surgery is done only after exhausting all other treatment options. The endoscopic procedure has revolutionized the operating room and very often can even be done on an outpatient basis.

The Process

An endoscope is a tiny camera that’s inserted into a small incision on your back, front or side. With real-time images from the camera, your spine surgeon can see the problem and use the same line of sight to make repairs. And voila, very little blood loss, no lacerated muscles and an incision that often can be closed with a simple Band-Aid or a couple tiny stitches, which normally are made in a natural fold of your skin.

It’s these latest back surgery techniques that the surgeons at the Southeastern Spine Institute proudly offer patients who need back surgery. As an added bonus, your recovery time is greatly reduced. The success rate for permanent results has proven to be much higher as well. And you can attend as many pool parties as you like without fear of scaring the children. Your back surgery will never become the center of attention at a party… unless you want to brag about it.