Spinal osteoarthritis can bring persistent symptoms of pain and stiffness along with it. The symptoms can be debilitating at times. After receiving a diagnosis of spinal osteoarthritis from your doctor, conservative (nonsurgical) treatment is almost always first recommended. This is the case because conservative treatments can provide significant relief from the symptoms, oftentimes to the point where no further treatment is needed. However, there are those cases in which conservative treatment is ineffective. When conservative treatment isn’t doing the trick, you may wish to look into spinal arthritis surgery. Surgery is available to only about five to ten percent of patients suffering from spinal osteoarthritis, and except for extremely rare emergency cases, spinal arthritis surgery is regarded as an elected procedure.

Endoscopic Spinal Arthritis Surgery is Similar to a Root Canal

It might sound funny to think about it like this, but spinal arthritis surgery can be very similar to the process taken during a root canal on one’s tooth. During a root canal, the local nerve that provides sensation to the tooth is deadened so that pain is eliminated, but the tooth remains.

In cases of spinal osteoarthritis, the facet joints of the spine – which provide the stacked vertebrae with their ability to move against each other – lose their soft, protective coating of cartilage. As the cartilage disintegrates, the joint is exposed to extra friction and tiny nerve endings inside the joint become inflamed and irritated. Endoscopic surgery for this condition involves deadening the nerve ending inside the facet joint to remove sensations of pain. Just as with a root canal, no physical change is made to the structure of the bone, and the arthritic joints actually may still rub against one another, but the sensation of pain and stiffness will be eradicated.

The Minimally Invasive Alternative to Open Back Spinal Arthritis Surgery

When we think of surgery we tend to think of large incisions, highly invasive surgical techniques, and a fully sedated patient. Open back surgery like spinal fusion follows this archetypical model, requiring a large incision to be made, general anesthesia, an overnight hospital stay, and a long recovery period. However, endoscopic spine surgery is a popular alternative. This outpatient surgical method calls for only an incision of less than an inch in length, local anesthesia and deep IV sedation, and a significantly shorter recovery period compared to open spine surgery. Unlike open back surgery, endoscopic surgery employs the use of a small scope connected to a TV monitor for surgical navigation inside the body. The endoscope, a laser, and other small surgical tools are threaded through a narrow hollow tube, which is inserted into the body via a small incision near the affected facet joint. These tools are then used to treat the problematic area by:

– Debriding (cleaning) the affected joint – Damaged cartilage, bone spurs (bony growths that often form in arthritic joints in an effort to stabilized dysfunctional joint movement), and other debris is removed

– Vaporizing joint nerves – The affected nerve endings are cauterized with the laser to deaden sensations of pain in the joint

Endoscopic procedures are a safe and effective alternative to open spine surgeries, but not every patient is a candidate. Talk with your doctor to find out whether a minimally invasive spinal arthritis surgery can help mitigate your symptoms.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal arthritis and several other spinal conditions.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute offers safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal arthritis and other spinal conditions. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/arthritis_of_the_spine

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for spinal arthritis and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: spinal arthritis