Spine surgery is nowadays a very common medical practice worldwide. Back pain issues are very frequent, which can be cured with medicines and exercises. However, if this back pain comes from serious spine injuries like spinal infections, spinal deformity or tumours in the spine, then the patient needs spine surgery.

Spine surgery in India is quite common and has a high success rate. Therefore, if you are looking for information regarding the same, keep reading this piece.

Spine surgery is a surgical practice that treats a broken or damaged spine to retain its original performance.

The spine, also known as the vertebral column, is a bony structure that protects the spinal cord. It also gives structure to a body. The more healthy and flexible your spine is, the more you are fit and able to live a long healthy life.

Hence, the spine is prone to many diseases, for example, Spondylolisthesis, slipped disc, spinal bifida etc. Apart from these, people may have an abnormality in the spine due to birth complications and get hurt by accidents or sports. Therefore, for serious stages of these cases mentioned above, one may need spine surgery.

Surgery can be required for the following issues of the spine -

1. Transitional Vertebra

It is a spinal disorder that occurs due to mutations in the Hox genes, which leads to sacralisation and lumbarisation. Commonly it gives spinal instability and degradation.

2. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

It occurs due to an unusual compression of blood vessels between your collarbone and first rib. It leads to neck and shoulder pain.

3. Degenerative Spondylosis

In this type of condition, the disc and ligaments of the spinal cord become weaker or thicker, which leads to the outgrowth of vertebra structure.

4. Spondylolisthesis

This condition occurs due to the displacement of the spinal bones, which leads to severe back pain.

5. Spinal Stenosis or Tumours

This situation refers to the growth of tumours within the bony structure of the spinal cord.

6. Fractures

Fractures are the breaking of spinal bones due to an accident or injury. In the serious stages of fracture, individuals need spine surgery.

7. Conus Syndrome

It is a type of spine injury that causes severe back pain and that results in numbness of the spinal cord and even paralysis.

The different types of spine surgeries in India are listed below,

1. Cervical Spine Surgery

Cervical spine that joins the skull and the body or is commonly known as the neck. People need this surgery for severe neck pain due to arthritis or cervical disc disease. The surgery is done by three methods that are discectomy, artificial cervical disc replacement, and cervical fusion. In a discectomy, the surgeon removes the damaged cervical disc. Afterwards, the gap for this removal is filled and bridged by the cervical disc replacement and fusion processes.

Benefits:

• Reduces broken parts and connects the gap in between more naturally
• Works on removing severe neck pain

Success Rate:

The success rate of cervical spine surgery is 66% to 98%, according to the National Library of Medicine.

2. Lumbar Laminectomy for Spine or Spinal Decompression

In this type of neck surgery, any pressure on a tendon or nerve in the lumbar section is relieved. This surgery is mainly for older people who have spinal stenosis. In this surgery, the surgeon cuts the enlarged facet joint that puts pressure on the nerves to release this tension and pain.

Benefits:

• Reduces the numbness of the lower part of the body
• It recovers severe back pain
• Improves the performance of legs such as running and walking
• Remarkable improvement in overall spine health

Success Rate:

Lumbar laminectomy has a success rate of 70% to 80% on average.

3. Artificial Spine Lumbar Disc Replacement

This surgery takes place on the lumbar vertebrae, which is located between the pelvis and rib cage. One may face severe back pain due to injured spinal discs. If the medicines or exercises fail to treat this severe pain, the patient needs surgery. In this surgery, the surgeon places a prosthetic implant in the place of a painful disc. This maintains the normal working of the disc.

Benefits:

• It restores flexibility and bending ability of the spine
• This surgery gives support to the other discs of the vertebrae
• It removes the necessity of other types of surgeries
• Treats slipped discs
• This surgery has a very short recovery time

Success Rate:

Artificial spine lumbar disc replacement has a success rate of 60% to 70%.

4. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

For situations such as herniated discs, spinal tumours, Scoliosis, spinal infections, disc diseases, etc., this surgery is important. Compared to other surgeries, the recovery process of Minimally invasive spine surgery is very quick. In addition, surgeons do this surgery with just a small incision.

Benefits:

• Requires less anaesthesia
• This surgery lowers the chances of infection
• It involves less pain
• Recovery time is essentially short
• Blood loss during the surgery is also low

Success Rate:

This surgery has a high success rate of more than 90%.

5. Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression surgery is a common spine surgery in India that is done to relieve the pain of compression of the spinal nerves. Conditions such as fractures and spinal injuries, spinal stenosis, Sciatica or slipped disc, metastatic spinal cord compression, etc. require this surgery. The whole surgery involves three processes, microdiscectomy, lumbar laminectomy and laminotomy.

Benefits:

• Heals tissues of spinal disc
• Works excellently to release the pain of injured muscles
• Helps in better functioning of nervous system

Success Rate:

Success rate of Spinal decompression surgery is 71% to 89%.

6. Spine Tumour Surgery

The surgery removes the spinal tumour that causes excessive pressure, which leads to spine fracture. Further, surgeons perform this surgery when the tumour becomes malignant or grows in size excessively.

The surgery involves three procedures, decompression, embolisation and kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty. In these whole three processes, a surgeon removes the tumour, blocks the blood supply to it and repairs the fracture.

Benefits:

• Stabilised performance of spine
• Removes any kind of deformity
• Reduces further chances of cancer

Success Rate:

The success rate of spinal tumour surgery is 83% on average.

7. Spinal Fusion

Conditions that demand spinal fusion are Scoliosis, spinal disc herniation, Kyphosis, discogenic pain, spinal tumour, etc. In this surgery, a part of bone is taken from the patient or donor to join the affected vertebra. Surgeons also use metallic rods and screws to do the fusion.

Benefits:

• Improves stability and reduces discomfort in spine movement
• Helps to return to different physical activities
• Treats a huge range of spinal issues

Success Rate:

Spinal fusion surgery has a high success rate of 70% to 90%.

8. Spine Osteotomy

This surgery involves restoring the balance and shape of the spine. Therefore, it also can be called a spine reformation surgery. Patients who face severe back pain despite taking medicines may need this surgery after examining properly.

Spine osteotomy has three types they are Smith-Peterson Osteotomy, Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy and Vertebral Column Resection Osteotomy.

Benefits:

• Restores sagittal balance
• Helps in better posture

Success Rate:

The success rate of Spine Osteotomy is 95% on average.

Open spine surgeries are traditional ones where surgeons create a broad incision to repair the affected area of the spine. They also pull the spinal muscle to reach the bony structure. On the other hand, in Minimal invasive surgeries, small incisions are made involving effective modern technologies. In addition, here, the chances of muscle and tissue damage are almost from nil to little.

Further, for open spine surgery, patients must go under acute anaesthesia and stay in the hospital for a long period. Minimal invasive surgeries give the exact opposite benefits, on the other hand.

Apart from these, blood loss, post-surgical pain, and recovery time are also less in Minimal invasive spinal surgeries.

Therefore, depending on your health condition, you can choose the type of spine surgery. Doctor consultation is highly important in this case.

Apart from these great benefits, there are some minor to major side effects of spine surgery that demand discussion.

• Blood clots
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Dural tear
• Post-surgical pain
• Risk from anaesthesia
• Lung problems, and more.

Hence, these side effects are not always fatal to patients, and proper post-surgical activities can cure them. However, bleeding during the surgery or infection may raise serious complications. Therefore, if you face any post-surgical obnoxious symptoms, consult a physician immediately.

Spine surgeries are highly impactful as they influence your body balance and daily workings. As the effects of the surgeries are so deep, your body needs preparation before going to the operation room. You can consult an expert beforehand to know helpful processes to prep your body for spinal surgeries. 

However, there are certain general methods that you can follow. These are -

• Keep working to stable spine function
• Stop taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Take proper diet
• Try to lose weight if you are obese
• Know about the procedures

With these practices, you will be able to prepare your body and mind for the pressure of surgery.

Surgeons use different procedures to perform different spine surgeries. The common methods that surgeons follow are listed below,

• Laminotomy

In this process, surgeons decompress the spinal canal by removing a minor part of the laminar roof and spinal canal ligaments.

• Microdiscectomy

Surgeons remove the pressure exerting disc from the affected area, further reducing pain. This procedure helps in better functioning of nerves.

• Lumbar Laminectomy

In this process, the parts of the lamina, that is, a bony roof and thick ligaments of the spinal cord, are removed to perform decompression from both sides.

• Kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty

In this process, surgeons fix the broken spinal cord due to the spinal pressure tumour. This process is a part of minimally invasive surgeries.

• Smith-Peterson Osteotomy

This process is for minor fixing of the deformed spinal cord. The process involves approximately 10-20 degrees of correction.

• Vertebral Column Resection Osteotomy

In this process, surgeons completely remove one or multiple parts from spinal cord. However, this process is also for correcting deformity in spinal cord.

After a serious spine surgery, you may feel some discomfort in your back. Depending on the type of surgery, you will need to stay in the hospital. Here you will get proper after care; however, after returning home, you must follow certain procedures for quick healing. These are,

• Taking good care of spine
• Properly handle post-surgical pain
• Avoid eating inflammatory foods
• Maintaining proper posture while laying or sitting
• Go for physiotherapy