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Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery- This is what every spine surgeon claims to do. Exactly how small is it? Most "minimally invasive spine surgery" is actually very traumatic. Since the words have no specific meaning, they should not be used.
Micro-discectomy- a misnomer which sounds small. Actually it is a traumatic access operation requiring a sizeable opening, cutting muscle and typically bone and joint also. A microscope is a large device located outside of the body and requires a traumatic opening, large enough to see inside.
"Gentle Arthroscopic" (as it is so called by some centers in Florida) is in fact a traumatic access operation requiring a sizeable opening, stretching and tearing muscle, cutting out bone, ligament and commonly joint also. The bone, ligament and joint removed is usually normal and doing an important job in the spine. Removing it causes permanent damage and frequently permanent symptoms due to this damage (Failed Back Surgery Syndrome).
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