Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery Specialist

Surgical Spine Associates

Eugene A Bonaroti, MD, FACS

Board Certified Neurological Spine Surgeon with locations in Irwin, Cranberry, and Washington, PA

If conservative treatments fail to relieve your neck and back pain, minimally invasive spinal surgery is often the best way to repair the underlying problem and get relief from your symptoms. As a board-certified neurosurgeon, Eugene Bonaroti, MD, FACS, at Surgical Spine Associates is known for his surgical skill, extensive experience, and the compassionate care he provides throughout your treatment. To learn if your spine problem can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, schedule an appointment online or call one of the offices in Irwin, Cranberry, or Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania.

Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery Q & A

What is minimally invasive spinal surgery?

Your spine surgery is minimally invasive when it’s performed through small incisions rather than one, long, open incision. During minimally invasive spinal surgery, Dr. Bonaroti inserts a narrow tube through the incision.

Then he performs your surgery by inserting narrow instruments through the tube and using an operating microscope or an endoscope to view the surgical area.

What benefits do I gain from minimally invasive spinal surgery?

Open surgery causes significantly more trauma compared to minimally invasive surgery. In addition to the longer incision, tissues are retracted and organs pushed out of the way to create an opening that’s large enough to reach your spine.

By comparison, minimally invasive procedures seldom cut through tissues. Instead of cutting through the muscles, Dr. Bonaroti uses a retractor to gently separate the muscle fibers, stretching them just enough to accommodate the narrow tools.

After your surgery is finished and the retractor is removed, the muscles return to their normal position. They don’t need a long time to heal, which is one of the great benefits of minimally invasive surgery.

When you undergo minimally invasive spinal surgery, you have:

  • Less pain after surgery
  • Lower risk of bleeding during surgery
  • Lower risk of complications
  • Minimal scarring
  • Quicker recovery
  • Faster return to normal activities

After most minimally invasive procedures you can go home the same day. If you need to stay in the hospital, it’s usually an overnight visit, which is significantly shorter than your inpatient time after open surgery.

What procedures are done during minimally invasive surgery?

Thanks to today’s advanced technology and Dr. Bonaroti’s expertise, most spinal surgeries that once required open surgery can now be done using minimally invasive techniques. 

These are a few examples of the procedures he often performs:

  • Discectomy
  • Microdiscectomy
  • Artificial disc replacement
  • Laminectomy
  • Foraminotomy
  • Kyphoplasty
  • Spinal fusion
  • Barricaid® implantation
  • Intracept® Procedure

These procedures treat a wide range of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine conditions, including herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, compressed nerves, and spinal stenosis. 

As spinal conditions are repaired and nerves decompressed, you’ll get relief from chronic pain in your back, neck, legs, and arms.

If you need a spinal procedure, call Surgical Spine Associates or book an appointment online to learn if you’re a good candidate for minimally invasive spinal surgery.