Dr. Alfred Bonati sets record straight on ‘minimally invasive’ spine procedures

February 28th, 2024

Dr. Alfred Bonati sets record straight on ‘minimally invasive’ spine procedures

Alfred O. Bonati, M.D. of The Bonati Spine Institute says that most spine doctors advertising ‘minimally invasive’ and “laser spine surgery” procedures are often misconceived.

HUDSON, Fla. – A Florida spine surgeon, world-renowned for his own patented spine surgery that is typically referred to as “minimally-invasive,” says that most other doctors marketing their spinal surgeries in a similar manner are not actually performing minimally invasive procedures.

“The spine is a very complex structure,” said Alfred O. Bonati, M.D. “It consists of bones, joints, discs, nerves and muscles. The idea that a doctor can zap you with a laser and cure your pain is just not true, and on top of that, most doctors who advertise minimally invasive surgeries are making small incisions and implanting medical devices into the spine.”

Dr. Bonati says that truly minimally invasive procedures, like his, require only tiny incisions that minimize trauma to the spinal tissue, cause minimal pain and blood loss, and require special tools to work in those small spaces.

While other doctors who say their spinal procedures are minimally invasive actually perform fusions, and insert artificial discs and other hardware, which are far from “minimally invasive”. The Bonati Spine Institute does not perform spinal fusions, nor does it recommend them.

Dr. Bonati, who has patented tools and techniques for his surgeries, including hardware removal, has completed nearly 80,000 procedures with his targeted precision approach, and has a more than a 98 percent patient satisfaction rate.

The Bonati Spine Institute procedures are so minimally invasive that his patients remain awake and are able to communicate with him throughout.

“We do a significant amount of pre-operative analysis that allows us to isolate the true cause of a patient’s pain, and eliminates the need for open back surgery,” said Dr. Bonati. “We address the main source of the pain, and if there is a secondary pain that was masked by the primary affected area, we address that in a separate minimally invasive procedure.”

Ultimately, Dr. Bonati said, there is no magical laser wand that can be waved over a patient to cure their spinal pain, as some doctors suggest.

He says that patients should ask their doctors exactly what their procedure is for eliminating back pain before scheduling a surgery.

“Patients are often duped by the term ‘minimally invasive,’” Dr. Bonati said. “Many of these patients come to me after they have had these unsuccessful procedures because their pain was not alleviated. When I treat them, it takes less than an hour and they are typically up and walking around right after their procedure is finished.”

About The Bonati Spine Institute:

For more than 40 years, The Bonati Spine Institute, led by Dr. Alfred O. Bonati, has provided world-class surgical treatment to patients suffering from spine pain. Dr. Bonati and his team of highly trained specialists have successfully performed nearly 80,000 patented procedures, helping patients with spine pathologies. While the Bonati Spine Institute is located in the Tampa Bay area, patients from all over the world have sought Dr. Bonati’s care, often after other doctors tried and failed to relieve their pain. Of those patients seen, 65 percent have had a history of failed back and neck surgery prior to coming to the Bonati Spine Institute. The Bonati Spine Institute has received a patient-reported satisfaction rate of higher than 98 percent.