What We Offer You for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Specialized expertise in minimally invasive surgical procedures for spine disorders, including degenerative conditions, spine deformities, spine tumors, and more Go to Conditions Treated
- Advanced treatments using the latest techniques and technologies to improve symptoms, speed recovery, and lower the risk of complications Go to Treatments
- A multispecialty team that works together to make treatment precise, coordinated, and effective while offering personalized support Go to Your Care Team
- Ease of access to our providers and procedures, with comprehensive support services and follow-up care right in your community Go to Connecting to Care
- Online second opinion program offers easy access to our world-class doctors. If you have received a diagnosis or recommendation for treatment and want another opinion, our service can help you make a more informed decision. Go to Online Second Opinion Program
Minimally invasive spine surgery is an option for many spine conditions and can relieve symptoms while avoiding the need for major open surgery. At Stanford Health Care’s Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Program, our surgeons have extensive experience evaluating spine disorders and planning and performing complex procedures. Every member of our team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible care.
Spine conditions can affect the lower (lumbar), upper (thoracic), and neck (cervical) bones of the spine (vertebrae) and the gel-filled cushions (discs) between each vertebra. They may also affect the spinal cord and branching nerves.
Your spinal cord and nerves relay signals to and from your body, and they control feeling and function. Spine disorders can compress or damage these structures, causing pain, numbness, weakness, and loss of function.
The Stanford Medicine Spine Center is a regional leader in MISS. Our surgeons have pioneered cutting-edge techniques that have improved patient outcomes here and around the world.
The cervical spine has a natural curve that helps support your head. Cervical deformity is an abnormal curve in your neck that changes the position of your head.
Cervical instability can affect any area of the neck and often affects the top two cervical vertebrae. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect the vertebrae to each other and the base of your skull. Cervical instability occurs when the ligaments become loose, allowing too much movement in the cervical joints.
Small fractures, usually resulting from osteoporosis, can cause your vertebra to collapse. Compression fractures are more common in the thoracic spine and can lead to kyphosis. They can also occur in the neck and lower spine.
Disc degeneration is a common cause of back pain, particularly in older adults. Over time, discs can dehydrate and break down, sometimes causing pain in the spine and surrounding muscles and ligaments.
Discs separate and cushion each vertebra. They feature a soft inner gel covered by a strong outer layer. A disc becomes herniated when a fragment of the internal part of the disc breaks off, the outer layer tears and the fragment migrates into the spinal canal to compress nerves.
In kyphosis, your back's upper (thoracic) area rounds more forward than usual. It is more common in older people but can also affect children and adolescents. Kyphosis can also occur in the neck or lower back, causing lumbar or cervical deformity.
Myelopathy is a collection of symptoms resulting from spinal cord compression. It can occur anywhere along the cervical and thoracic spine. Degenerative spine conditions, injuries, ruptured discs, and spinal tumors can compress the spinal cord and cause trouble with balance, coordination, gait and/or dexterity.
Radiculopathy is the compression of a nerve at its root (after it has it branched off the spinal cord). Pinched nerves occur in the lower back and neck and can cause pain and weakness in the legs or arms.
Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curve in your spine. There are generally two types: one that typically develops during childhood and the second that occurs in older adults. The curve size can range from mild to severe.
A spinal injury (trauma) can damage any part of your spine. The symptoms depend on the location and severity of the injury and may include partial or complete loss of movement or feeling.
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the openings in your vertebrae through which your spinal cord and nerves run (spinal canal). It usually occurs in your neck or lower back. Causes of spinal stenosis include degenerative changes (most common) and congenital conditions present at birth.
Spine tumors are masses of cells that can grow in your vertebrae, spinal cord, and surrounding tissues. They can be cancerous or noncancerous. There are two types of spine tumors.
- Metastatic spine tumors occur when cancer spreads to the spine from somewhere else in your body. These are the most common type.
- Primary spine tumors begin in your spine. These are rare conditions.
In spondylolisthesis, a vertebra in your lower back shifts out of place and rests in front of the vertebra below. In the lower back, there are two main types of spondylolistheses:
- Isthmic spondylolisthesis is caused by a fracture (spondylolysis) in the arch of the vertebrae.
- Degenerative spondylolisthesis occurs due to certain types of degeneration that can occur in the facet joints with aging, which over time can result in spinal stenosis at that segment of the spine.
Synovial cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form in your spine, usually in the lumbar region. They are noncancerous and typically develop due to facet joint degeneration. When large, these can compress nerves and cause radiating pain.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Treatments
Our surgeons use the most advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques and technologies available. Through small incisions (typically less than one inch), they perform procedures using specialized tools, such as:
- Tubal retractors- rigid, narrow tubes to hold tissues open
- Endoscopes- thin tubes with cameras at the end
- Microscopes that provide a magnified view of the surgical area
- Surgical instruments to perform delicate procedures
- Spinal hardware to provide stability and support to your spine
Intraoperative imaging, robotic platforms, and high-tech surgical systems help guide procedures safely and accurately.
Our board-certified surgeons use minimally invasive approaches to accomplish goals that previously required more disruptive open surgery. MISS offers many benefits, including:
- Quicker recovery
- Reduced pain
- Less muscle and soft tissue damage
- Fewer complications
- Smaller, less visible scars
Our surgeons typically perform MISS using general anesthesia so you are asleep during surgery and do not feel pain. We also offer an innovative new approach, awake spine surgery, available for some procedures. You are awake but receive a local anesthetic to block the sensation of pain.
Awake spine surgery has many benefits, including:
- Eliminates the risk of side effects from general anesthesia, which can cause postoperative confusion, nausea, and even pneumonia and other rare health events
- Reduces the need for postoperative pain medication
- Shortens hospital stay (most patients go home the same day)
Your surgeon will let you know if awake spine surgery is an option for you.
Your treatment may include more than one procedure. We provide comprehensive evaluations to assess your condition and develop a personalized treatment strategy.
MISS procedures we offer include:
Relieves pressure on your spinal cord and nerves caused by spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and other spine conditions.
Replaces a damaged disc with an artificial one made of a combination of metal and polymers.
Uses metal hardware to hold vertebrae together and prevent slippage or excessive movement.
Repairs a fractured vertebra by injecting bone cement to provide support.
Involves a tailored strategy to remove tumors (when possible), relieve pain, and prevent further damage. We also collaborate with experts at the Stanford Cancer Institute to provide comprehensive cancer care.
Uses minimally invasive decompression and bone fusion strategies to help correct deformities, such as scoliosis and kyphosis.
Innovation Through Clinical Research
The Stanford Medicine Spine Center actively participates in groundbreaking research and clinical trials to evaluate new and better ways to diagnose, treat, and manage spine disorders. Participating in a trial may give you access to experimental therapies that are not available otherwise.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest advanced clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
We personalize care to meet your needs. You’ll benefit from a team of specialists dedicated to providing the best possible care for you.
Your Doctors and Providers
Orthopaedic Spine Specialist
Orthopaedic spine specialists excel in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of conditions involving the musculoskeletal system, with an exclusive focus on the spine. Our orthopaedic specialists are highly trained and experienced in treating various spinal conditions.
View All Orthopaedic Spine SpecialistsPhysical Medicine and Rehabilitation Doctor
Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, also called physiatrists, provide nonsurgical treatment for pain, such as medications, directed therapy, and injections, as well as for other conditions involving the spine.
View All {0} EndocrinologistsAdvanced Practice Provider
Our skilled physician assistants and nurse practitioners specialize in diagnosing and treating spine conditions. They see patients independently and occasionally alongside your provider. Advanced practice providers can give you a thorough exam, write prescriptions, and help prevent or treat issues.
View All {0} Advanced Practice Provider DoctorsExtended Care Team
Pain Management Specialist
Pain management specialists help patients decrease pain, return to a maximum level of functioning and independence, and restore quality of life.
View All {0} Pain Management SpecialistsAdvanced Practice Provider
Our fracture prevention specialists have in-depth experience in helping you improve your bone health and prevent fractures.
Support Services
In addition to caring for your physical health, we also focus on managing your emotional health. We offer you and your loved ones exercise and meditation classes, support groups, and other services to help with self-care during your treatment and recovery process.
We strive to make access to care as simple as possible. User-friendly virtual health tools and video appointments help you stay connected with your care team from home. We accept most insurance plans and offer discounted transportation, short-stay options, international travel, and translation services. We make it easy for you to get the care you deserve. Our team guides you through each step so you can make decisions that are right for you.
Accessing care at Stanford Health Care is easy and convenient. We make every effort to coordinate your appointments so that you can see multiple providers, as needed, during a single visit. We guide you through the process, working with you to schedule treatments, arrange follow-up appointments, and resolve your concerns.
For Referring Physicians
PHYSICIAN HELPLINE
Fax: 650-320-9443
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Stanford Health Care provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well as the latest information and news for physicians and office staff. For help with all referral needs and questions, visit Referral Information.
You may also submit a web referral or complete a referral form and fax it to 650-320-9443 or email the Referral Center at ReferralCenter@stanfordhealthcare.org.
- Send referrals online
- Place radiology and lab orders
- View referral status
- Access medical records
To make an appointment with a minimally invasive spine surgeon, please call 650-725-1125, or schedule a callback.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Program