Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
Principles and Evidence-Based Practice

This book provides a timely, comprehensive and evidence-based review of minimally invasive surgery of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.

Minimally invasive techniques are now aided by more advanced endoscopic instruments, video, and computerised navigation systems broadening the range of surgical procedures that can be carried out with similar efficacy as traditional open spinal surgeries, without the significant burden on the patient recovery and rehabilitation.

This book thoroughly reviews the preclinical and clinical data on minimally invasive spinal surgery and describes and illustrates the current effective techniques.

An authoritative, international team of contributors add their clinical experience and expertise to provide a clear, authoritative and practical guide.

The book is organised in four sections covering cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine regions with a final section on the latest advances in technologies and the cost-effectiveness of current treatments.

SECTION 1: MI TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES TO THE CERVICAL SPINE

1              Thermodiscoplasty (TDP) in cervical discopathy and rhizolysis

2              Transcorporeal foraminotomy for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy

3              Cervical endoscopic versus open foraminotomy for uncovertebral lateral stenosis

4              Endoscopic percutaneous assisted and open posterior cervical foraminotomy

5              Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior cervical disc replacement or fusion

SECTION 2: MI TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES TO THE THORACIC SPINE

6              Clinical evidence for thoracic discectomy under thoracoscopic guidance

7              Endoscopic transforaminal thoracic discectomy (ETTD)

8              Minimally invasive extracavitary versus open approach for thoracic disc herniation

9              Minimally invasive ventral decompression via oblique paraspinal approach

SECTION 3: MI TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES TO THE LUMBAR SPINE

10           Clinical outcomes with thermodiscoplasty

11           Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar annuloplasty for treatment of discogenic low back pain

12           Lumbar rhizotomy versus fusion for axial facet pain syndromes

13           Patho-anatomic evidence for endoscopic lumbar discectomy

14           Endoscopic transforaminal, interlaminar and transiliacal approaches for lumbar disc herniation

15           Percutaneous endoscopic intra-annular subligamentous herniotomy

16           Interspinous microscopic tubular decompression for treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis

17           Interspinous process distraction systems for spinal stenosis with or without concomitant degenerative spondylolisthesis

18           Minimally invasive spine surgery for degenerative lumbar disorders

19           Clinical outcomes with endoscopically assisted and open posterior transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion

20           Interbody cage geometry, construct stability and alignment

21           Minimal dissection standalone ALIF in the elderly population

SECTION 4: COST EFFECTIVENESS AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

22           Transforaminal endoscopic lumbar decompression and foraminoplasty for treatment of the degenerate lumbar spine

23           Advantages of outpatient ambulatory lumbar interbody fusion surgery

24           Advances in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion

25           Physician extenders as part of an ambulatory spine surgery program

26           Difference in outcomes and patient satisfaction of spinal surgery for lumbar stenosis in minorities

27           Minimally invasive spine surgery for spinal neoplasms

28           Indication and benefit of lumbar spinal hardware removal

29           Percutaneous lumbar facet augmentation in the treatment of lumbar facet arthropathy

30           Trans-sacral epiduroscopic laser decompression

31           Single incision robotic assisted laparoscopic mini-ALIF via transumbilical retroperitoneal approach

32           Percutaneous cement discoplasty: minimally invasive treatment of severe disc degeneration in elderly

Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski MD
Orthopaedic Surgeon, Centre for Advanced Spinal Surgery of Southern Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Michael Schubert MD
Orthopaedic Surgeon, Apex Spine Centre, Munich, Germany

Jorge F Ramírez Léon  MD
Professor, Head Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Director of Spine Centre, Clinica Reina Sofia Colsanitas, Bogota, Columbia

Richard G Fessler MD PhD
Professor and Vice Chair of Neurosurgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA