Since the early days of rudimentary
medicine, humans have studied the skeleton in efforts to understand how it
works and how to fix it. Back pain and spinal conditions were treated with
herbal remedies with little to no effect. The spine and the human skeleton
remained a mystery until around 3,000 BC. Archeologists discovered Egyptian mummies
from this period that showed signs of primitive spinal surgery. However, it was
Hippocrates who advanced the practice through extensive study of the spine and
copious volumes of symptoms and treatments for back and skeletal problems.
Medicine has come a long way since 400 BC, but the most important advances,
according to spine care doctors in Jacksonville, FL, have come in the last few
decades.
Advances in Spinal Surgery Technology
Digital fluoroscopy is an imaging technique
that creates real-time moving images of the internal organs. Doctors can watch
the human heart beating live without opening the patient’s chest. More advanced
than an X-ray, digital fluoroscopy is also used during surgery to administer
medication or maneuver surgical instruments internally. Endoscopy also allows
the doctor to see inside your body with tiny cameras that are no bigger than a
pencil eraser. Surgical tools have also become smaller and more maneuverable.
In the past, when a patient needed spinal surgery, the doctor would make a long
incision beside the spine and use forceps to pry the skin back. Understandably,
they needed to be able to see what they were operating on. Now with the help of
image guidance systems like digital fluoroscopy and endoscopy, the doctor only has
to make a few small incisions for the camera and any surgical tools.
Recovery Time and Healing
Since your doctor doesn’t have to make
large incisions to perform surgery anymore, recovery times and the healing
process are considerably shorter than they used to be. Some surgeries can even
be performed in the office with minimal anesthesia. You can be home and resting
within a few hours after a major surgery whereas in the past a spinal fusion
surgery would require at least a two-week stay in a hospital. Major surgery can
also damage the muscles and tendons around the surgery site which would slow
down the healing process and increase inflammation. The risk of infection was
also higher before minimally invasive spinal surgery because of more internal
parts were exposed during surgery. Only the right spine care doctors in Jacksonville, FL, can
determine your candidacy for minimally invasive spinal surgery. Contact your
local specialist today for a consultation.