Back pain affects millions of people worldwide. If you’re one of them, you’ve probably tried everything you can think of to ease your aching back.
If you’ve been told surgery is the next step, there might be a middle-ground procedure that can save you from a major operation — decompression minimally invasive spine surgery (DMISS).
This innovative procedure in the hands of nationally renowned, double board-certified spinal surgeon Patrick McNulty, MD, FABSS, FABOS, can be a game-changer. Here’s an overview of what DMISS does and why it might be right for you.
Anything that compresses your spinal cord or its roots leads to back or neck pain that often radiates to the limbs (radiculopathy), and that’s where DMISS comes in. Depending on which technique Dr. McNulty uses, it either modifies or removes parts of the bones, spinal discs, or soft tissues that are causing nerve compression.
The most common symptoms of spinal compression are pain and muscle weakness, but if it involves a nerve that travels to your limbs, you may notice sensory and gait changes. For instance, cervical spinal stenosis can cause symptoms in your arms, hands, legs, or feet and even lead to balance problems or incontinence.
Spinal compressions usually occur in the lower back (lumbar spine) and the neck (cervical spine). In severe cases like cauda equina syndrome, the symptoms are intense and hit you suddenly; seek medical attention immediately to avoid paralysis and other severe complications.
Spinal decompression surgery involves various techniques to relieve nerve pressure. Dr. McNulty uses minimally invasive techniques that minimize tissue damage and accelerate healing whenever possible. The method he chooses depends on which tissues are causing the compression.
A laminectomy removes the lamina, which is like a bony roof that covers the spinal canal, to decompress both sides of the canal.
A laminotomy removes a small portion of the lamina to decompress one side of the canal, leaving most of the lamina intact. This technique is less invasive than a laminectomy and often used for localized nerve compression.
During laminoplasty, Dr. McNulty uses small incisions and views the treatment area through an operating microscope to reduce tissue damage and speed up recovery.
Microdiscectomy is another minimally invasive procedure. Dr. McNulty uses this procedure to treat sciatica or a herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Using small, muscle-sparing incisions, he removes the portions of the herniated disc causing nerve pressure.
For minimally invasive lumbar discectomy or endoscopic percutaneous disc removal, Dr. McNulty uses a scope to make very small skin incisions to remove the portion of the herniated disc compressing spinal nerves.
Some decompression surgeries require a spinal fusion procedure simultaneously.
Decompression surgery is ideal if you have back or neck pain and/or neuropathies due to nerve compression from a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis.
Dr. McNulty often recommends DMISS when physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, or other pain management regimens have failed to provide relief. DMISS has two significant advantages over traditional open surgery:
We’ve been using the term “minimally invasive” throughout this post, so it’s important to define it. The surgical technique uses smaller incisions that create less muscle damage, reduced blood loss, and shorter recovery times.
It also means that you have a lower risk of infection.
Recovery from minimally invasive spinal decompression surgery is generally faster and less painful than traditional surgery. You can expect to return to light activities within a few weeks, with a full recovery typically taking a few months.
We typically recommend physical therapy to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility.
There’s hope for your back and neck pain. DMISS steps in where other treatments have failed. Call McNulty Spine in Las Vegas or Henderson, Nevada, or book online to schedule an appointment with Dr. McNulty.
