Maximal Results With Minimal Invasion: Enhancing AHN Patient Outcomes With Advanced Spine Surgery Techniques

Alexander Yu, MD

(Credit: Allegheny Health Network)

New techniques are transforming the way experts at AHN Neuroscience Institute treat complex spinal conditions. With leading-edge technology and modern approaches, our neurosurgeons are performing safer, more effective procedures than ever before – resulting in faster patient recovery times, smaller incisions, and less collateral damage to healthy musculature and bone.

If your patient has herniated discs, spinal fractures, degenerative spine disease, chronic back pain or other complex spine diseases, they may be a candidate for minimally invasive spinal surgery at the institute.

New Approaches, Fewer Incisions

Our experts are addressing many spinal conditions through a 360-degree, multi-angle approach. Approaching surgery from the front of the body involves small incisions in the front or left side of the abdomen, allowing for treatment of degenerative disc disease.This can be complimented by traditional pedicle screws or with minimally invasive devices, like the Minuteman (Spinal Simplicity) device.

This has resulted in:

1. Fewer incisions
2. Less disruption to tissue and muscles
3. Reduced anesthesia requirements

Precision and Preservation

For patients with herniated or damaged lumbar discs, surgeons at AHN Neuroscience Institute are turning to microscopic tubular lumbar diskectomies, bringing welcome and often near-immediate relief of sciatica. This procedure uses a small tubular retractor to access central, posterolateral, and lateral recess areas with successive dilators to split the surrounding muscle.

“Along with minimizing pain levels, this targeted technique has additional advantages – it preserves the patient’s midline stabilizing structures and musculature,” said Alexander Yu, MD, AHN neurosurgeon. “This has often resulted in less blood loss, and a faster, more comfortable recovery, which contribute to improved long-term patient outcomes.”

Lumbar Spine Fusion

When a patient’s condition requires a lumbar spinal fusion, AHN physicians are using robot-assisted technology with the Mazor X system (Medtronic/Mazor Robotics). AHN is proud to be the first health care system in western Pennsylvania to offer this pioneering treatment for patients, using the first commercially available robot for spinal procedures.

Much like a GPS, Mazor X assists our surgeons in placing screws and rods with precision and even maps out their “route” preoperatively. The system has proven to yield between a 90.4% to 100% accuracy rate in screw placement.

Deviation rates with Mazor X: 3.8% to 0%¹

Traditional deviation rates: As high as 22%²

How to Make a Referral

Our AHN neurosurgeons are committed to helping patients experience faster recovery times and often smaller incisions with help of exciting new technology and techniques. If you feel your patient is a candidate for minimally invasive spinal surgery, make a referral today.

• Non-AHN physicians: Call 412-359-6200
• AHN physicians: For referrals, emergency admissions, or inter-facility transfers, call 1-888-660-4884 or 412-325-9008. For Erie, call 814-452-7654.

REFERENCES
1. Ding H, Han B, Hai Y, et al. The Feasibility of Assessing the Cortical Bone Trajectory Screw Placement Accuracy Using a Traditional Pedicle Screw Insertion Evaluation System. Clin Spine Surg. 2021;34(2):E112-E120. doi:10.1097/BSD.0000000000001059
2. Mao G, Gigliotti MJ, Myers D, Yu A, Whiting D. Single-Surgeon Direct Comparison of O-arm Neuronavigation versus Mazor X Robotic-Guided Posterior Spinal Instrumentation. World Neurosurg. 2020;137:e278-e285. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2020.01.175