Sometimes when non-surgical treatments aren’t relieving your pain, your doctor may recommend surgery. Fortunately, advances in spine surgery mean that there are more minimally invasive surgical approaches for neck and back pain than ever before. In many cases, these procedures use technology to precisely guide your surgeon’s movements, meaning smaller incisions and shorter recovery times.

Spine surgery is usually the last option after all other treatments are considered. It may be the solution that provides the relief you need to reclaim your life. If it’s the best option for you, our team of spine experts is here to support you every step of the way and help you get back to doing the things you love.

Some of our surgical treatments and services include:

At Providence, we’re committed to improving the lives of Alaskans by providing innovative spinal fusion surgery. Spinal fusion is used to treat pain caused by conditions such as fractured vertebrae, degenerative disc disease, stenosis and deformities like scoliosis and kyphosis.

It’s a surgical procedure that bonds two or more painful vertebrae together to stop any movement and provide stability to the spine. During surgery, the surgeon places bone grafts or bone-like materials between the vertebrae that need to be fused. Metal plates, screws or rods may also be used to hold the vertebrae together so that they can heal into one solid unit. It's a life-changing solution that can dramatically alleviate pain and significantly enhance quality of life.

At Providence many spinal fusion surgeries are performed using advanced approaches including minimally invasive and robotic and/or computer guided technologies. These approaches not only greatly improve accuracy and safety but also can result in better outcomes. Different types of spinal fusion include:

• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF): Removes a damaged disc to relieve spinal cord or nerve root pressure in the cervical, or neck, region
• Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF): A lumbar spinal fusion utilizing the assistance of a vascular surgeon through an abdominal approach
• Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF): Surgery that accesses the spine through the side of the body
• Lumbar fusion: Uses lower back bones with instrumentation through the back of the spine
• Minimally invasive fusion: Utilizes a smaller incision and techniques
• Posterior cervical fusion: Fuses neck bones with instrumentation in the back side of the neck
• Robot-guided spinal fusion: Uses a robotic arm and special navigation like Globus™ or MazorX ™ to help surgeons place screws in the spine and/or a mobile CT scan like Excelsius3D™ or Medtronic O-armTM to provide real-time images during surgery
• Thoracolumbar lumbar fusion for scoliosis: Removes damaged portions of the spine and replaces them with healthy bone

Benefits of spine fusion surgery include:

• Enhanced quality of life: With reduced pain and increased stability, patients can often return to daily activities with improved ease and comfort, positively impacting their overall quality of life.
• Improved stability: Spine fusion can help stabilize the spine, which is particularly beneficial in cases of spinal deformities or severe instability caused by infections or tumors.
• Pain relief: By stabilizing the spine and eliminating motion between the painful vertebrae, patients often experience significant relief from chronic back pain.

It's crucial to consult a spine specialist to determine if spine fusion surgery is the best option for your specific condition and understand the potential risks and recovery details.

Even if you’re living with chronic back pain, the decision to get spine surgery can be difficult. The good news is that today, there are innovative technologies in spine surgery that not only optimize patient care but also set a new standard in surgical performance and success.

These systems allow surgeons to perform even the most complex spine procedures with a high degree of precision, flexibility and control. These surgeries are now safer, and patients can recover faster.

The benefits of these technologies include:

• Improved outcomes: The higher precision and safety achieved through these technologies can lead to better outcomes. You’re more likely to experience relief, and it may also reduce the need for additional surgeries.
• Improved safety and reduced risk of complications: The improved views – which can be challenging to see with the naked eye – and robotic precision can greatly reduce the chances of errors, especially in complex cases.
• Increased precision: Detailed 3D imaging and real-time visual guidance during the surgery allows your surgeon to delicately maneuver through and around your spine. With robotic techniques, the robot translates the surgeon's hand movements into micro-movements, providing pinpoint accuracy.
• Less invasive procedures: Surgeries can frequently be done through smaller incisions compared to traditional spine surgeries. Smaller incisions can lead to less tissue damage, reduced blood loss and lower risk of infection. Benefits include:
  • Fewer complications
  • Less pain after surgery
  • Shorter hospital stays
  • Smaller, less noticeable scars
  • Quicker recovery and return to your life
• Personalized surgical plan: These technologies are used to create a detailed model of your spine that your surgeon uses to develop a highly precise surgical plan tailored to your unique anatomy. This not only reduces the time it takes to do the procedure but improves the accuracy of the procedure and its effectiveness.

At Providence, we’ve invested in our community and brought this leading-edge, innovative technology, including robotic-assisted systems and computer-assisted surgical (CAS) navigation, right here close to home. Now, you and your loved ones have access to the excellence and precision of advanced robotic technology alongside the care and compassion that our skilled clinicians and healthcare teams provide.