Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to join 2 or more bones of your spine together permanently. A minimally invasive spinal fusion uses a smaller cut (incision) than a traditional spinal fusion surgery.
Your vertebrae are the small bones that make up your spinal column. These vertebrae stack on top of each other, separated by intervertebral discs. These bones protect your delicate spinal cord, which sends and receives information from your brain to the rest of your body.
Various medical conditions might cause your vertebrae to move against each other more than they should. This can stretch your surrounding nerves, ligaments, and muscles, causing pain. For example, if you have arthritis of your spine, your vertebrae might hurt when they move against each other. Spinal fusion may stop this pain by preventing 1 or more of your vertebrae from moving.
Depending on your problem, your doctor might use different approaches to get to your vertebrae. Minimally invasive spinal fusion uses a smaller incision than traditional surgery. It also doesn’t cut away the muscles of your spine. Because of this, it may lead to faster recovery times than traditional surgery. It may also reduce the chance for certain problems. Examples of a minimally invasive lumbar fusion is The Minuteman by Spinal Simplicity.