Back surgery is an interesting topic to discuss with the average person. However, we need to first introduce what type of back surgery is and is not.
Type A’s can have a natural back or one can be turned upside down. Both ways have their benefits and challenges.
When looking at a patient with a natural back, there are two main areas of concern. The first is if there was/is ingrowth or re-growth of tissue, this may be increased risk of cancer. The second is if there was/is keloid formation, this may be increased risk of injury due to scar formation.
As with any surgery, patient safety is number one and patients with any type of surgery must go in with extreme caution.
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Discectomy
Discectomy is a procedure where part of the surgery grid, called the discectomy table, is removed. This allows the surgeon to re-configure the back muscles.
This was the case for Jj Watt when he had his lumbar vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae removed. The discectomy table allowed him to re-configure his back muscles.
He had new neck and shoulder muscles created by putting him on a wheeled platform with metal rods attached and then tightening banding around his neck, shoulders, and waist. This allowed him to create more natural back curves.
This type of surgery does not always work and can cause pain, stress, or may even fail which is when you need help getting through it.
Laminotomy
Laminotomy is a procedure that cuts away part of the back top layer, also known as the skin. The cut is made in a doctor’s office in a process known as procedural laminectomy.
When looking at someone with severe spinal cord injury, the doctor can see areas of thickened or solidity where the spinal column meets the back. These areas indicate areas of damage to the back that need to be treated.
In laminotomy, small incisions are made in the top layer of skin alongside the spine. The surgeon takes some healthy skin from elsewhere on your body and grafts it in place to replace what has been taken away.
This may seem like a drastic solution, but it does help correct any injuries that have built up over time. Laminotomy is one type of surgery that can help correct this problem.
Lumbar decompression
Lumbar decompression is another technique used for back pain. There are several ways to do lumbar decompression, including mesh surgery, fusion surgery, and non-surgical approaches.
Non-surgical approaches include foam rolling, ice packs, and exercises such as massage techniques. Surgery can be helpful in creating a more comfortable back that works better than a placebo effect alone would suggest.
Surgery is the most commonly used approach to treating low back pain. According to Nationell Backpagtliga Banstststser (the national guidelines for spine surgery), the most common reasons for low back surgery are:
“- increase interval workouts (for example, doing splits) because of hip or knee pain; – increasing exercise confidence because of shoulder and chest pain; – believing in treatments that seem to work but are not conclusive, since patients may not feel any relief during treatment.
Microdiscectomy
Another type of surgery for the back is microdiscectomy. This is a small cut, typically at the lumbar region, where the spinal column meets the legs or lower body.
This procedure can be performed laparoscopically, meaning in a doctor’s office with special tools and procedures. Or, it can be technically difficult to perform laparoscopically, making it more of a subcuttype of surgery.
In subcutaneously placed microdiscectomys, a small incision is made just beneath the skin and just above the muscle. The disc-shaped muscle is removed and replaced with an equivalent thin muscle.
This procedure does not affect mobility or strength, but it does require more patient care in that it must be kept dry until new muscles grow in to take its place.
Neural arch fusion
Another procedure performed on the back is neural arch fusion. This procedure creates a new neural arch that connects to the back bone.
The term arch describes where the two sides of the bone meet. A neural arch is a thin piece of bone that runs along the inside of the back side of the spine.
Neural arches were first developed in pregnant women to help support back baby bones during delivery. Once the baby is born, doctors connect one side of the neural arch to an artificial disc so it can stay in place.
A typical appearance of a Neural Arch Fusion surgery is a small hole located in between two discs where it joins together.
Pedicle screw fusion
Another type of back surgery is the pedicle screw fusion. In this procedure, a screw is placed into the vertebrae next to the hip, then through the pelvis and onto the spine.
This procedure is almost identical to a CT scan except instead of looking through the body, it looks at the back.
The screw is placed in, then a piece of bone is sutured together and put inside the spinal canal. Once this happens, there are no further repairs! It essentially creates a new back that can stand up on its own.
This procedure isn’t usually done for cosmetic reasons; most surgeons would say that your back looks fine without any breaks! Instead, it is more commonly used for pain management purposes when things get bad with an incision and no screws can help.
Spinal stabilization surgery
Spinal immobilization surgery is a procedure where the surgeon uses something else, such as a cast, to help hold your back in place.
This type of surgery is highly specialized and typically performed by neurosurgeons. The neurosurgeon will carefully review your medical and nonmedical factors before determining if this type of surgery is right for you.
Lumbar spinal fusion
Another type of surgery is lumbar spinal fusion, also called a fusion surgery. This procedure uses two or more pieces of wood or plastic to construct a new spine on top of your old one.
This is an excellent option for people who have a very low back, poor back type of situation. With this type of surgery, you can still work comfortably for about six months after the operation before you have to get another one.
During the operation, two or four rods are inserted into your vertebrae. One rod is placed in each spot where your back makes contact with the floor – on this rod, the patient is placed during the surgery.
Afterward, they carefully remove the old rod and place the new one. This takes some time as it has to grow with your body over time.