Cirugía Abierta vs Mínimamente Invasiva

The key difference lies not in what we do, but in how we access the spine. In open surgery, a longer incision is made, allowing the muscles to be separated for a direct and wide view of the area to be treated. In MIS surgery, very small incisions are used, and a system of tubes is inserted through the muscles to work without cutting them, guided by cameras, microscopes, and advanced imaging systems.

No. The best technique is the one that is safest and most effective for resolving your specific problem. It's not a competition between "new" and "old." Open surgery is the gold standard for complex cases such as severe deformities or large tumors. Mini-injury surgery (MIS) is an excellent option for more localized conditions such as herniated discs or stenosis at one or two levels. The best surgery is the one that suits you, not the other way around.

This decision is made during your consultation, after a thorough analysis of your case. We consider three main factors:

• Your diagnosis: What specific problem do you have? Does it affect one or several levels of the spine?
• The complexity of the condition: Is it a simple herniated disc or a complex scoliosis requiring extensive correction?
• Your anatomy and general health status.
• We will explain with complete transparency why one approach is best suited for you, ensuring that the choice is always based on your safety and the effectiveness of the treatment.

Yes. When the procedure is indicated correctly, the long-term results are equivalent. The goal of decompressing a nerve or fusing a vertebra is achieved with the same effectiveness with both methods. The major advantage of MIS lies in the short-term benefits: a faster and more comfortable initial recovery.

Yes, that's true. Initial recovery is significantly faster with MIS because the back muscles are preserved. By not cutting the muscles, there is less postoperative pain, less bleeding, and patients can get up and move around much sooner. This results in a shorter hospital stay and a quicker return to daily activities.

Open surgery remains the best option for:

• Correction of severe deformities: Such as adolescent or adult scoliosis.
• Complex revision surgeries: When a previously operated area needs to be reoperated on.
• Large spinal tumors: Requiring a wide surgical field for safe removal.
• Severe trauma: That has caused significant instability in the spine.

The risks inherent in any spinal surgery (such as neurological or implant risks) are similar and are minimized with the use of technology like neuronavigation and monitoring. However, some risks vary: open surgery may have a higher risk of bleeding or infection due to the size of the incision, while MIS, by preserving the muscles, reduces these specific risks.

Yes, the difference here is significant. Postoperative pain is considerably less with MIS due to minimal muscle trauma. As for the scar, in open surgery it will be a single line down the center of the back, while with MIS it can be one or several very small incisions, which are much more aesthetically pleasing.

The difference is remarkable. For comparable procedures (e.g., a single-level fusion), a MIS patient might be in the hospital for 1-2 days and return to an office job in 2-3 weeks. With an open approach, the stay could be 3-5 days and the return to work could take 4-6 weeks.

Absolutely. Our commitment to safety is the same, regardless of the type of incision. In both open and minimally invasive surgery, we routinely use Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring, Surgical Neuronavigation (O-Arm), and a high-definition microscope. These tools are our standard of care to ensure maximum precision and protect your neurological function at all times.