Spine Surgery

If your neck or back pain is severe, limits your mobility, or fails to improve with conservative therapies, you may need spine surgery to repair the underlying problem. If you face spine surgery, you need expert care from Amanda Carpenter, MD, and Duncan Carpenter, MD, at North Jersey Neurosurgical Associates in Ridgewood, New Jersey. They offer personalized care and extensive neurosurgery experience, including specializing in advanced technology like robotic-assisted spine surgery to reduce your pain and accelerate your recovery. Call or book an appointment online today to discuss spine surgery.

What is traditional open spine surgery?

Open surgery involves making an incision and separating muscles and ligaments from the spinal vertebrae. Your surgeon must also move the muscles out of the way, which often means cutting them.

The incision is long, and the opening is large enough to access the targeted spinal area and accommodate the surgeon’s hands and surgical instruments.

After open spine surgery, your North Jersey Neurosurgical Associates surgeon reattaches the tissues and closes the incision. However, the nature of open surgery makes the procedure more painful, increases the risk of complications, and makes your recovery longer.

What is minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS)?

MISS uses a small incision (less than one-half inch) and specialized instruments designed to fit through the narrow opening.

In addition to all the tools needed to repair your spine, your surgeon uses an endoscope equipped with a camera and lighting to see the surgical area.

While your surgeon makes a small opening in the skin, they don’t cut through muscles. Instead, they use a tube to gradually separate the muscles, creating an opening for the surgical tools.

Minimally invasive spine surgery lowers your risks of bleeding and complications. You also heal faster because there’s less tissue trauma.

What is robotic-assisted spinal surgery?

Robotic-assisted spinal surgery combines minimally invasive surgery with real-time imaging and advanced robotic tools.

Before your procedure, your surgeon uses 3D imaging of your unique anatomy to plan the surgery, including the placement of hardware like rods and screws. This imagery and navigation system is an integral part of the robotic system.

During surgery, your surgeon controls a robotic arm and uses the earlier 3D and real-time imaging to visualize your spine and maneuver the robotic arm.

The robotic arm can insert surgical hardware and implants, ensuring they’re at the location and angle needed for your spine with more precision than the human hand.

What conditions does spine surgery treat?

Open and minimally invasive surgery can both treat most of the same spinal conditions, including:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Scoliosis
• Spinal infections
• Spinal instability
• Vertebral compression fractures
• Spinal tumors

To learn more about spine surgery, schedule an appointment by calling North Jersey Neurosurgical Associates or using online booking.