For many patients suffering from spinal fractures, degenerative spine diseases and other conditions affecting the thoracic spine, treatment via material removal, spinal fusion and hardware placement is required. Hardware (instrumentation) installation provides vital support during the healing process and ensures a strong spine afterward. Dr. Chetan Patel of AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health can offer minimally invasive instrumentation placement for a variety of patients. To learn more about your treatment options and pain relief solutions, call Call407-303-5452.
Things Have Changed in Spine Surgery
For patients who have not kept up with the evolution of spinal instrumentation, it should be noted that many advances have been made. While wires and hooks are still sometimes used, that use is limited. New pedicle screw hardware placement is possible with minimally invasive surgery. In addition, this type of hardware offers substantial benefits in other areas.
The primary benefit of new hardware installation options is the ability to avoid open surgery. In the past, five to six-inch incisions were necessary to perform a corpectomy and fusion. Today, this can be accomplished by a very small incision. The addition of endoscopic technology also improves the accuracy of the surgeon in terms of material removal (for costotransversectomy and corpectomy and fusion treatments).
Open surgery caused numerous complications, including the creation of significant scar and fibroid tissue at the incision site, as muscles had to be cut and retracted, and then reconnected in order to access the spine from a posterior incision. Anterior incisions allow surgeons like Dr. Chetan Patel to make very small anterior incisions, through which material can be removed, bone grafts put in place, and hardware installation accomplished.
Additionally, the industry shift away from hook and wire hardware to pedicle screw installation has also provided immense benefits for patients. Pedicle screw hardware (plates, screws and rods) offers the following advantages to patients considering treatment:
- Enhanced Rigidity – Hook and wire hardware did not provide substantial rigidity, which could at times lead to unwanted flexing in the healing area of the spine. Pedicle screw hardware provides the necessary rigidity to hold the damaged spine in place.
- Enhanced Strength – Hook and wire hardware is not particularly strong. In comparison, pedicle screw hardware provides the strength necessary for shorter sections during hardware placement. Shorter constructs ensure that hardware does not have to overlap onto adjacent spine segments.
However, not all patients are viable candidates for minimally invasive procedures. Some conditions will require traditional open surgery for hardware placement, bone grafts, material removal, infection debridement and other treatment methods. It is essential for those suffering from spinal fractures, degenerative spinal diseases and severe back pain to consult with a surgery like Dr. Chetan Patel. Only through a full diagnostic procedure can the exactly treatment method necessary be determined.
For Injured and Suffering Patients
To learn more about hardware placement options, minimally invasive surgery and information about spinal diseases, fractures and degenerative conditions, contact Dr. Chetan Patel at AdventHealth Medical Group Spine Health by calling Call407-303-5452.