Minimally invasive spine surgery involves making smaller incisions. This reduces muscle and soft tissue injury while accomplishing the same goal as conventional open surgery. The development of multiple parallel technologies is about to join forces to revolutionize spine surgery. Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) stimulates spine fusion without harvesting bone graft from the pelvis. Surgical navigation technology allows surgeons to see the anatomy without large surgical exposures. Endoscopic camera systems create small portals of entry into the human body with visualization of the anatomy. Surgical delivery systems facilitate the surgeon’s use of percutaneous (through the skin but without traditional exposure of the anatomy) techniques to accomplish the surgical goals. The overall impact of these breakthroughs will be less pain, quicker recovery, and less hospital time. Although these technologies won’t quite approach the level of being “emailed back to health,” a closer representation is the concept of “drive-by fusion,” emphasizing the “in and out” nature of the minimally invasive surgical concepts.

 
The dictionary defines a sextant as a navigational instrument containing a 60-degree arc, used for measuring the altitudes of celestial bodies to determine latitude and longitude. The sextant was used by earlier sea-faring explorers to navigate positions on the sea by the stars. Similarly, the surgical sextant is a percutaneous pedicle screw-rod system designed to navigate the posterior lumbar spine anatomy, allowing surgeons to instrument the spine through stab wound incisions. The sextant rod insertion system can be used to stabilize anterior lumbar interbody fusions, posterior lumbar interbody fusions or posterolateral interbody fusions.

 
The space between two vertebra is called interbody because it exists between adjacent vertebral bodies. Normally, the disc serves as a cushion or shock absorber. However, degeneration of the disc may lead to the development of pain and the elimination of motion involving the disc space may reduce or eliminate pain. This is the theory and practice of interbody fusion. The interbody area is a broad surface available to facilitate fusion between two adjacent motion segments.   Continue »

Words © 2002 William Dillin, M.D.

Page 1 | Page 2

Please read our Disclaimer | About your Privacy | Copyright © Little Company of Mary
Joint Notice of Privacy Practices | Esta Notificación de Prácticas sobre Confidencialidad