Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Back pain is a common and often debilitating problem for many adults, and an increasing number of them turn to surgery in search of relief. While some traditional procedures can help, they don’t always fully resolve discomfort, and some patients may continue to experience pain afterward. At Mount Sinai Medical Center, we are changing that narrative with minimally invasive spine surgery delivered by a world-renowned clinical team.
Spine surgery is a significant event, often requiring time away from work and daily activities. The disruption is especially pronounced with traditional open procedures, which can damage healthy muscle and soft tissue and lead to prolonged pain. Minimally invasive spine surgery offers a better alternative, designed to relieve discomfort, preserve healthy tissue, and restore mobility.
With this cutting-edge technology and our expert team of neurosurgeons, we are redefining the approach to spine surgery by making it safer, less painful, and more effective.
What Is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?
Minimally invasive spine surgery treats spinal conditions through small, carefully placed incisions. At Mount Sinai, surgeons use state-of-the-art visualization, navigation, and imaging technologies, including intraoperative fluoroscopy, 3D navigation, and endoscopic cameras.
It is important to note that minimally invasive spine surgery is different from endoscopic spine surgery. Both are valuable, but minimally invasive spine surgery has larger incisions (about 1 inch), sometimes using multiple incisions. Endoscopic spine surgery uses tiny incisions (approximately 5 to 6 millimeters) to address targeted pathology. Depending on the patient’s situation, either or both may be necessary in the treatment plan.
With specialized instruments, surgeons can reach spinal nerves, discs, and vertebrae. These advanced tools help guide these procedures and support safe, effective treatment.
Key features that set minimally invasive spine surgery apart include:
- Muscle- and tissue-sparing techniques, which does not use screws or metal implants, and reduces trauma to the structures that support spinal movement
- Focused interventions, which address the source of pain without extensive exposure or unnecessary disruption
- Clear visualization, which allows surgeons to work with detailed views of delicate spinal anatomy
- Faster, safer recovery, which supports a quicker return to daily activities for many patients
- Reduced postsurgical pain, due to minimized trauma to surrounding tissue
- Motion-preserving techniques, which often eliminate the need for spinal fusion or permanent hardware
- Significantly lower risk of infection, which reduces the chance of postsurgical complications
We believe the best surgery is one that delivers effective results with the least disruption to your body and your life. Mount Sinai’s minimally invasive spine surgery program is set up to achieve these goals, combining advanced technology with extensive surgical expertise and offering multiple benefits that set the stage for safer, long-term outcomes.
Here’s what sets Mount Sinai apart:
- Expert surgical team: Our spine specialists and fellowship-trained neurosurgeons are leaders in minimally invasive, endoscopic spine surgery.
- State-of-the-art technology: Our use of top-of-the-line imaging and computer-assisted navigation allows for more precise treatment in targeting the source of pain while preserving healthy tissue.
- Comprehensive, coordinated care: Every patient benefits from a multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, radiologists, anesthesiologists, and rehabilitation experts.
- A better recovery experience: By operating with smaller incisions comes less pain, lower risk of complications, and reduced blood loss, helping patients return to their daily routines sooner.
It is important to remember that not all surgeries labeled as “minimally invasive” are the same. Some procedures may use smaller incisions but still involve significant tissue disruption, limited visualization, or routine use of hardware and spinal fusions. Mount Sinai’s approach is different. Using advanced endoscopic techniques through ultra-small, precisely placed incisions, our surgeons are able to provide clear visualization of delicate spinal structures and directly address the source of pain.
Through our collaborative care model, every treatment plan is carefully tailored to the individual — ensuring patients receive the right procedure at the right time. For us, precision, innovation, and patient-centered care come together to redefine what minimally invasive spine surgery can achieve.
Is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Right For You?
Minimally invasive spine surgery can be highly effective for many patients experiencing nerve compression or chronic pain in the mid and lower back. These symptoms are often caused by specific, localized structural issues that can be treated without extensive disruption to the surrounding anatomy. At Mount Sinai, careful patient selection and individualized planning are key to achieving excellent outcomes.
We primarily use minimally invasive spine surgery to treat thoracic (mid back) and lumbar (lower back) spinal conditions.
Minimally invasive spine surgery is commonly used to treat:
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Degenerative spinal conditions, such as spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease
- Nerve compression affecting the lower back or legs
- Localized cancers and benign tumors
To determine whether minimally invasive spine surgery is the right option, our specialists conduct a thorough evaluation, including a clinical exam and appropriate imaging studies, and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient’s condition and goals.
Improving Patient Outcomes
At Mount Sinai, our minimally invasive techniques are particularly valuable for patients who have previously undergone spine procedures, including spinal fusion. In these cases, minimally invasive revisional procedures for carefully selected patients can help relieve ongoing pain caused by residual nerve compression or degenerative changes, often improving the way patients feel and move. By targeting the source of lingering pain while preserving healthy tissue, these procedures can improve comfort, function, and quality of life.
For patients who need additional support, our multidisciplinary team also provides individualized physical therapy and occupational therapy to help restore strength, flexibility, and independence.
Advances in surgical tools, techniques, and intraoperative navigation further enhance the precision and safety of minimally invasive spine surgery. Our surgeons use these technologies to enhance accuracy, minimize tissue disruption, and optimize outcomes.
Patients often experience:
- Improved spinal mobility and comfort
- Reduced postoperative pain
- Targeted relief from lingering symptoms after prior surgeries
Clinical studies of minimally invasive lumbar spine procedures highlight their effectiveness. Research shows approximately 80% to 95% of appropriately selected patients achieve significant pain relief and improved function, with many returning to their normal activities. Patient satisfaction is equally high, with more than 90% reporting positive outcomes and willingness to undergo the procedure again if needed.
While individual outcomes depend on patient health, condition severity, and surgical complexity, Mount Sinai’s coordinated care model and advanced surgical capabilities offer patients the best opportunity for lasting pain relief and functional improvement.
Next Steps
If you are considering minimally invasive spine surgery, please schedule a consultation with one of Mount Sinai’s endoscopic spine specialists. During your visit, we will review your medical history, evaluate your spinal condition, and discuss treatment options most likely to meet your needs.
From your first consultation through recovery, Mount Sinai’s spine team is committed to guiding you every step of the way, answering your questions and helping you make an informed, confident decision about your care.
Our Physicians
Samuel Kalb Goldsmit, MD
Director, Minimally Invasive Complex Spine Surgery
- Neuroscience
- Neurosurgery
- Spine Surgery
- Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
- 305.674.2950
- Mount Sinai Emergency Center, Physician Offices, Cancer Center and Diagnostic Center Aventura
- 305.692.1080
- Mount Sinai Medical Center, Kenneth C. Griffin Center, Hialeah – Emergency Center and Primary & Specialty Care | Mount Sinai Eldercare
- 786.584.5555
Todd Lasner, MD
- Neuroscience
- Neurosurgery
- Spine Surgery
- Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
- 305.674.2950
Anirudh Penumaka, MD, MSc
- Neurosurgery
- Neuroscience
- Spine Surgery
- Mount Sinai Medical Center (Main Campus)
- 305.674.2950
- Mount Sinai Primary & Specialty Care Coral Gables
- 350 441-0910
- Mount Sinai Specialty Care Key West I Cardiology, Urology & Vascular Care
- 305.674.2950