Why don more surgeons perform minimally invasive spine surgery?
The simple truth is that minimally invasive spine surgery is difficult for many surgeons to master. Minimally invasive techniques require the keen ability to visualize only portions of the spine through small imaging cameras rather than the entire spine as in open surgery. This skill is one of the most difficult to master. It begins with a solid foundation in biomechanics and years of experience in traditional open spine surgery including the managment of any/all types of complications. The minimally invasive spine surgeon must then perform each of the many techniques – arthroscopic, endoscopic, laser-assisted, microscopic and percutaneous procedures – on numerous patients to establish a basic level of competency. The result is a very steep learning curve with few surgeons mastering the techniques.
