How Spine Surgery Has Changed: From Early Procedures to Modern Techniques
The first evidence of back surgery was discovered in Egyptian mummies dating back to 3,000 B.C. Thousands of years later, Hippocrates described various spine issues, including sciatica and scoliosis. His observations came more than two millennia after the earliest surgical evidence. There’s a long history of medical knowledge about the spine.
As medical science advanced, we learned more about how the spine and spinal cord interacted, and laminectomy became feasible, if not yet very practical. This surgery involved removing parts of the vertebrae to relieve pressure on spinal nerves. Beginning in the early 1800s, it was the only spine surgery performed until the next century.
In those days, spine surgery was unreliable and had high rates of complications and mortality. Today, patients can expect much better results and shorter recovery times at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center. The center specializes in robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Surgery is considered only in rare cases where nonsurgical methods don’t resolve spine issues.
How Spine Surgery Has Changed in the 20th Century: From Fusion to Robotic Precision
1. The 20th Century
In the first half of the 1900s, spinal fusion and discectomy were added to the spine surgery repertoire. Spinal fusion made it possible to correct the characteristic spinal curve of scoliosis, especially common in spinal tuberculosis patients. Discectomy was developed to remove defective intervertebral discs. This procedure helped ease pressure on the nerves and relieve pain.
The development of penicillin in 1928 and other effective antibiotics made all types of surgery more reliable, since there was now a way to easily control the infections that typically accompany any type of open surgery. In the last quarter of the century, endoscopic techniques, requiring smaller, less invasive incisions, meant that spine surgery could be more precise, with less impact on surrounding tissue, making recovery easier on the patient.
2. The arrival of MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging, the MRI, meant better diagnostics before incisions, further refining the precision of spine surgery. Along with improvements to endoscopic procedures, open surgeries became less common. Spine surgery meant hospital stays lasting several days after a procedure in the 1980s and 90s, while today, many procedures are done on an outpatient basis, where you sleep at home the same day as your surgery.
While the MRI improved on conventional X-ray as a surgical imaging tool, these aren’t the only technological upgrades the neurosurgeon uses. “Live-action” X-ray, known as fluoroscopy, provides your surgeon with a real-time view inside your body. This allows for precise localization of anatomy during the procedure. Cameras are smaller, so live video through keyhole incisions is another way your surgeon “sees.”
3. CT scanning
Computerized tomography (CT) scanning creates 3-D models of your spine long before you have an incision. Measurements are extremely precise, allowing your surgeon to plan the entire surgery in detail beforehand. Every step can be mapped out, ensuring accuracy throughout the procedure. This even includes measuring the tiny plates and screws needed to stabilize the bone.
4. Robotically assisted surgery
The advantages of endoscopic surgery were always limited by the abilities of the human hand. Robotic surgical systems have articulations and levels of precision that simply can’t be matched with manual manipulation. These refinements mean improved results with even greater patient safety.
When you require spine surgery, contact Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center in Phoenix to experience how spine surgery has changed. Call the office at 602-536-5019 to book your initial consultation.
