Beyond Laser Spine Surgery: The Bonati Difference
Laser spine surgery, a controversial topic among spine surgeons is often associated with minimally invasive spinal surgery. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about both; we would like to facilitate a better understanding and help patients know what to expect. It is also important to differentiate the Bonati Spine Procedures from “laser spine surgery’ and the so-called “minimally invasive spine surgery” offered by other spinal surgery centers .
What is Laser Spine Surgery?
“Laser spine surgery” and “minimally invasive spine surgery” have become buzzwords in recent years, often used interchangeably by medical marketers to present their clients – spinal surgery centers – as being on the leading edge of medical advances. Some of these centers even promote the idea of having a surgeon “zap” you with a laser to cure your back pain.
However, it’s not that simple. The spine is a complex structure consisting of bones, discs, joints, nerves and muscles. For patients suffering from chronic back pain, the pain is caused by multiple conditions at multiple levels.
The laser is not a “magic wand” that can instantly reverse arthritis, heal degenerated discs, or cure all back pain. A laser is just one of the many tools that may be used to perform surgery, it has benefits and limitations.
Minimally invasive spinal surgery is performed with the goal of minimizing trauma to the tissues in the spine. It uses smaller incisions that cause less pain and blood loss and special tools for working in smaller spaces. Many centers that claim to perform minimally invasive surgery in fact perform fusions, insert hardware or artificial discs. Those procedures are not truly minimally invasive.
How Do the Bonati Spine Procedures Work?
The Bonati Spine Procedures utilize patented instruments and methods that were developed by Doctor Alfred O. Bonati. They are performed under conscious IV sedation and local anesthesia. The patient is comfortable, and able to provide feedback throughout the procedure, an essential factor in our high success rate.
The Bonati Spine Procedures are an array of truly minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat spinal problems in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, virtually eliminating the need for open back surgery or spinal fusions. Our exclusive protocol is a vital part of The Bonati Spine Procedures. This protocol calls for extensive pre-operative analysis to isolate the exact cause of pain from a spinal condition as well as to determine what array of procedures should be performed to bring true resolution to our patient’s pain.
The Bonati Spine Procedures are performed incrementally, one level at a time to address the main source of pain. When all of the symptoms in that area are relieved, then any other areas in the surgical plan will be evaluated to see if any other level should be treated. Sometimes, the pain from the main affected level masks the pain from other levels and once that pain is resolved, the surgeon and patient can truly see if the other levels are causing symptoms.
The key to a successful outcome in spine surgery comes down to the skill and experience of the surgeon.
Benefits of the Bonati Spine Procedures
The Bonati Spine Procedures are safe and effective alternatives to traditional open back surgery and laser surgery. Some of the advantages of these procedures include:
• No general anesthesia
• No hospital stay
• Less post-operative pain
• Surgical recovery in days
• Reduced blood loss
• Smaller incision and less scarring
• Minimal damage to the soft tissues and muscles
• Avoids spinal fusions
• Fast return to work
• No pain management required post-op
• Over 30 years of experience
• High Success rate – 98.75% patient satisfaction
The Bonati Spine Procedures
The Bonati Spine Procedures are utilized to treat conditions at the cervical, thoracic and lumbar levels. They are an array of procedures that may include:
• Spinal bone fragment removal
• Facet thermal ablation
• Scar tissue removal
• Spinal hardware removal
The Bonati Difference Goes Beyond Laser Spine Surgery
The Bonati experience is unique among spine centers. Dr. Alfred O. Bonati was the first surgeon to obtain FDA approval for the use of a Holmium YAG Laser in spine surgery.
The Bonati Spine institute has been at the forefront of new and innovative surgical spine procedures to ensure unmatched precision, faster recovery, and greater success. Prior to the development of these procedures, “open” spine surgery was the only option.
Although The Bonati Spine Institute is where laser spine surgery began, The Bonati Spine Procedures have been advanced and perfected over three decades to surpass laser spine surgery techniques. Many of the centers advertising laser spine surgery merely perform basic laser discectomy, a procedure pioneered at The Bonati Spine Institute over 30 years ago!
They are an array of procedures that utilize proprietary instruments and methods custom-tailored for each patient. Our surgeons employ a Holmium YAG Laser in combination with other patented tools and techniques.