KBNI Minimally Invasive and Open Surgery Procedures for Pain in the Back

In those cases, where either minimally invasive surgery or traditional open surgery is deemed appropriate to resolve low back pain, the following procedures are performed by Dr. Kraus:

• Artificial Disc placement - Artificial cervical disc replacement is a relatively new procedure that has been developed as an alternative to spinal fusion for patients with low back pain. Artificial discs are usually made up of metal or plastic or a combination of both. If successful, disc replacement surgery permits greater range of motion.
• Intrathecal Pain Pump - It is a battery-powered pump that delivers pain medication and is employed for the management of chronic back pain. You may need to replace the battery every five to seven years.
• Kyphoplasty - It is a procedure employed to correct a vertebral fracture, thus restoring the vertebra bone height and reversing the spine deformity.
• Lumbar Discectomy - It is a surgical procedure performed for the removal of a herniated or ruptured disc from the lumbar (lower) region via a surgical microscope.
• Lumbar Fusion - It is a surgical technique used to join together two or more vertebrae (bones), in the lumbar spine, to minimize movement between them. Spinal instrumentation may be employed to stabilize the spine after fusion.
• Lumbar Endoscopic Discectomy - The herniated disc that is exerting pressure over the spine or nerve roots is removed through endoscopy, under X-ray or CT guidance.
• Lumbar Facetectomy - It is a surgical procedure involving the removal of facet joints to relieve pain. A facetectomy will often require a fusion to stabilize the spine.
• Lumbar Foraminotomy - It is a surgical procedure involving removal of bone and disc tissue compressing the nerve at the neural foramen.
• Minimally Invasive Lumbar Surgery - Minimally invasive lumbar surgery involves small incisions with minimal damage to the adjacent tissues. The spine may be approached from the front, back, or side and the procedure can be performed using fiber optic endoscopic devices. These techniques generally result in faster recovery and minimal blood loss.
• Spinal Cord Stimulator - Spinal cord stimulator (neurostimulator) is a pulse generating device placed alongside the spinal cord to alleviate chronic back pain by modulating pain impulses. This approach is often used when all other treatments have failed to relieve pain.