Minimally Invasive Surgery for Degenerative Diseases of the Lumbar Spine In general, the prevailing mentality of patients is to 1) opt for conservative treatment whenever possible, and 2) minimally invasive surgery whenever possible if surgical treatment becomes necessary. So, what is minimally invasive surgery? Which lumbar degenerative diseases are more suitable for minimally invasive surgery? The following is a brief introduction. What is minimally invasive surgery for the spine? Earlier, the understanding of both doctors and patients on this point was rather ambiguous. Domestic and foreign colleagues used to argue endlessly, each with their own viewpoints. However, at present, everyone’s viewpoints are beginning to approach. Minimally invasive surgery of the spine is not just measured by incisions in the skin, but throughout the entire surgical process, minimally invasive surgery can better minimize damage to the spine and surrounding soft tissues, with less bleeding and shorter post-operative recovery time. Solutions for minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery 1. Lumbar disc herniation. Minimally invasive surgery is now very mature for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Ideal indications for minimally invasive lumbar disc surgical resection are young and middle-aged patients with unilateral disc herniation, single-segment involvement, ineffective conservative treatment for the first attack, removal of the herniated disc through spinal endoscopic technology, general surgical incision of 1-1.5cm, very little irritation to the lumbar paraspinal musculoskeletal fascia, and the next day after the operation, you can walk on the ground. Rehabilitation time is short. 2.Lumbar spinal stenosis. Minimally invasive surgery is also useful for lumbar spinal stenosis involving a single segment, with nerve root and dural sac compression. Through the minimally invasive surgical technique of pipelining, nerve decompression can be accomplished bilaterally in individual cases through a single incision. Furthermore, if, after decompression, there is instability in the segment that requires reconstruction, the reconstruction procedure can also be minimally invasive. This is accomplished by making small incisions in the skin and placing pedicle screws in the lumbar spine through these small incisions under fluoroscopy. The fixation rods are then placed percutaneously with the help of a special aiming device. Internal fixation reconstruction of the segment is accomplished. You can go down to the ground 2-3 days after the surgery. 3.Lumbar spondylolisthesis For patients with mild lumbar spondylolisthesis, the decompression and reconstruction methods are the same as above. If necessary, some special tools can also be used to reset the slipped vertebrae. The above minimally invasive surgical solutions basically cover most of the lumbar degenerative diseases that require surgery. However, not all patients with lumbar spine disorders are suitable for minimally invasive surgery. For example, patients with severe degeneration of the lumbar spine may not be able to obtain complete decompression and the efficacy of the surgery may be affected if minimally invasive surgery is emphasized without regard to the specific situation; patients with multisegmental lumbar spine involvement may not have a significant difference in the impact on the soft tissues of minimally invasive surgery compared to the standard surgery due to the need for multiple segmental surgeries with multiple repetitions of the minimally invasive surgery. Therefore, a correct and individualized approach should be chosen under the guidance and analysis of the surgeon.