Advancements in technology now enable surgeons to perform spine surgery using minimally invasive techniques which result in less post-operative complications and quicker recovery time for patients. These procedures are faster, meaning less anesthesia and risk of infection, and they also offer less trauma to the muscles and soft tissues. While not always the case the physicians at GNI may treat the following conditions using minimally invasive techniques:

• Degenerative Disc disease (DDD)
• Herniated Discs
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Vertebral compression fractures

Additional benefits to minimally invasive techniques include post procedure re-cooperation at home for all the treatments performed at  GNI’s out-patient surgery center and the use of local anesthesia where possible meaning less risk of adverse reactions that can accompany general anesthesia.

Generally speaking, when procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques, smaller incisions are used along with microscopic video cameras to access the deep spinal area needing treatment. Additionally muscle movement and retraction are kept to a minimum allowing for less trauma to the area.

Open surgical techniques include:

• Craniotomies – For microscopic treatment of vascular lessions.
• Endovascular surgery – Treatment of vascular lession through the use of catheters, coils, balloons and stents accessed through an incision in the groin.
• Vascular surgery – To treat aneurysms and arteriovascular malformations. We are the only practice in the region doing endovascular aneurysm coiling and precision radiosurgery for vascular malformations that may otherwise be inoperable. No incision, pain, blood, anesthesia or recovery time.
• Radiosurgery – Precision radiation treatment for otherwise inoperable vascular lessions.
• Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia – Includes microvascular decompression for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, sometimes done endoscopically.