For those patients who require surgery, we typically perform minimally invasive surgery.
Older, “open” procedures strip the muscle off the spine during the surgery. This damages the spinal muscles, sometimes permanently. It takes longer for the muscles to recover following the surgery.
In minimally invasive spine surgery, we perform the surgery through a narrow tube. This spreads the muscle apart, rather than stripping it off the bone. The muscle recovers more quickly.
In addition, we use a CAT scanner in the operating room. This helps guide us directly to the problem area.
We can then get a CAT scan to “check our work.” The patient does not leave the operating room until we are sure the surgical result is perfect.
Minimally invasive spine surgery gets the job done precisely without unnecessary muscle and tissue damage.
This means patients often go home the day of surgery or the following day, rather than staying in the hospital for several days.
A faster recovery allows people to get back to enjoying life more quickly and more fully.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Call 704-954-8277.
Patient Success Story
At the end of 2018, Laura Wilson began experiencing pain and numbness in her shoulder blades and left arm. She initially thought she was having muscle spasms. But as the pain worsened, Laura knew the problem was more serious and that she needed to take action.
Fortunately, an examination showed that the pain may be related to her neck and her primary care physician referred her to Iredell NeuroSpine.
Read Laura's entire story at IredellStories.com