What Is Laser Spine Treatment

Laser spine treatment can treat a number of back problems safely and effectively in a less invasive manner than traditional spine surgery. Laser spine surgery is much easier on the patient than traditional surgery; in fact, patients can often have the procedures done in office and go home the same day. The healing process is much quicker as well. Most of the time, no hospital stays are required and downtime is minimal.

What makes laser spine treatment different than traditional open back spine treatment?

If back pain has gotten bad enough that nothing else seems to help and/or the use of drugs is contraindicated because of side effects or risk of addiction, laser spine treatment promises relief for many. Traditional open spine surgery involves literally "going under the knife," because the surgery  requires use of a scalpel. Laser spine surgery can promise the same relief as open spine surgery but with fewer complications, faster healing time, and less pain.

• The laser is the scalpel

Because a laser takes the place of the scalpel in laser spine surgery, bleeding and damage to surrounding tissue is minimal. Laser spine surgery can quickly alleviate pain by doing something called "ablation," whereby the laser is used to decrease the size of affected vertebral discs and therefore ease pain and pressure on nerves. Laser spine surgery can also be performed to do something called "laminotomy," whereby bulging discs can be reduced in size or bone spurs or growths can be removed, thereby relieving pressure and pain in the spine.

• Incisions are minimal

With open spine surgery, the back is opened up and surgeons must move muscle aside in order to get to the problem area (such as a herniated disc) and repair the damage.

With laser spine surgery, an incision of less than an inch to a couple of inches long is all that's needed, meaning that less tissue is displaced and bleeding is minimized.

• Healing time is quicker

All of the benefits of laser spine treatment - less tissue displacement, less bleeding, little to no damage to surrounding tissues, smaller incisions - mean that less damage is done overall, and healing time is quicker. This allows patients not only to be relieved of the pain they may have suffered for years, but gives them the chance to get back to normal living very quickly indeed.

• Much of the laser spine treatment can be done on an outpatient basis

In many cases, in fact, patients can be treated on an outpatient basis, whereby they can come into the office for surgery but leave the same day and go home; no extended hospital stays are required.

How do you find a good laser spine treatment doctor?

As minimally invasive and relatively pain-free as laser spine treatment can be, it's only beneficial in trained hands. The laser spine treatment doctor you seek treatment from should be board certified, should have had the appropriate education, background, and training (including extensive experience with both open spine and laser spine procedures), and should be board certified and have had no black marks on his or her discipline record. You can check your prospective doctor's reputation by contacting your state's medical board, and it's imperative that you do so before you decide to undergo this type of surgery.

One doctor who does have the appropriate training and can perform laser spine treatment for back problems like bulging discs, bone spurs, spinal stenosis, or pinched nerves is Dr. Sukdeb Datta, MD, DABPM, FIPP, DABIPP. Dr. Datta is the Medical Director of the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center in New York City, New York. He has extensive experience and a stellar educational background. He had served as the Director of the Interventional Pain Management Program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and was Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical School prior to assuming his role as Medical Director at the center. He can be reached at 347-380-9138.