Back pain radiating down to the waist… sometimes numbness extending to the legs. These symptoms are not just muscle aches from sitting for long periods or lifting heavy objects, but your “spine” may be facing abnormalities, and “surgery” is considered the most effective treatment. If you are a patient worried that surgery might be scary and dangerous… get to know these treatment options that can answer your concerns!

Conditions That Should Receive Spinal Surgery

Herniated Disc Compressing Nerves

When the disc bulges or ruptures and compresses the nerves, patients will experience radiating pain and it affects the functioning of various nervous systems.

Spinal Canal Stenosis

Spinal canal narrowing occurs due to degeneration of the spinal joints and thickening expansion, along with thickened ligaments holding the bones, causing nerve canal compression.

Spinal Dislocation Compressing Nerves

When the structures supporting the spinal joints degenerate, the spine shifts out of place and compresses the nerves. Patients will feel back pain and leg weakness.

Cervical Spine Degeneration
Spinal Cord Tumors

Others include spinal infections and abnormalities of the blood vessels in the spinal nerves.

Current Types of Spinal Surgery

Standard Surgery

This is an open surgery in the back muscle area, where the doctor needs to remove part of the bone to access the disc behind the spine. This method causes muscle injury. After surgery, patients will still experience back pain for a period and are at higher risk of infection.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery

This method involves a small incision of only 2 – 3 cm, resulting in less blood loss during surgery and minimal muscle impact. Muscle injury in the back or neck area is reduced, helping patients recover faster than with long open incisions.

Microscope-Assisted Surgery

In this method, the surgeon uses a microscope to magnify the image, allowing better visualization of details, leading to better treatment outcomes. It also reduces the size of the surgical wound, speeding up patient recovery due to less muscle injury and reduced postoperative pain.

Endoscope-Assisted Surgery

This surgery results in very small incisions because a small surgical camera is inserted into the wound. Endoscopic surgery requires a skilled surgeon along with specialized surgical instruments…

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) helps make diagnosis easier by clearly showing details without causing pain or harm to the patient.
X-ray Equipment In cases where surgery involves more than one spinal level, this tool helps verify the correct level to avoid errors and assists in positioning and angling fixation devices accurately during surgery.
Spine Navigator is a tool that helps identify the surgical level and assists in selecting appropriate fixation materials to fit the size and insert them with maximum accuracy, while also reducing radiation exposure during surgery.

The best treatment is to cure patients without surgery or with minimal damage if surgery is necessary. It should be highly safe, with small incisions, minimal blood loss, and short recovery time. Phyathai 3 Hospital is well-equipped with both advanced tools and a specialized surgical team with over 20 years of experience in minimally invasive surgery, along with a nursing team trained specifically in postoperative care to help patients return to normal life.

Dr. Teerachai Phanitpong

Neurosurgeon and Spine Surgeon

Phyathai 3 Hospital

Eliminate Worries! Spinal Surgery... Not as Scary as You Think

Conditions That Should Receive Spinal Surgery

Current Types of Spinal Surgery

Eliminate Worries! Spinal Surgery... Not as Scary as You Think

Tel

Email