To prevent patients from suffering the irreversible consequences of unnecessarily traumatic spine surgery and to provide better alternatives.

Quote from our 2007 book chapter. 2007 Book Chapter - in the medical textbook - Decision Making in Spinal Care - Chapter 63; Copyright 2007 by Thieme

"Minimally invasive" has become a trite phrase that has lost its meaning and is used by different authors to describe totally different things.

In the spine field, it is time to replace this language with a less ambiguous perspective focused on whether there is access trauma or not.

Any procedure that is larger in the approach to the pathology than is necessary creates potential morbidity for the patient from the access itself.

Bogus Terminology:

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery- This is what every spine surgeon claims to do. Exactly how small is it? Most "minimally invasive spine surgery" is actually very traumatic. Since the words have no specific meaning, they should not be used.

Micro-discectomy- a misnomer which sounds small. Actually it is a traumatic access operation requiring a sizeable opening, cutting muscle and typically bone and joint also. A microscope is a large device located outside of the body and requires a traumatic opening, large enough to see inside.

"Gentle Arthroscopic" (as it is so called by some centers in Florida) is in fact a traumatic access operation requiring a sizeable opening, stretching and tearing muscle, cutting out bone, ligament and commonly joint also. The bone, ligament and joint removed is usually normal and doing an important job in the spine. Removing it causes permanent damage and frequently permanent symptoms due to this damage (Failed Back Surgery Syndrome).