New Minimally Invasive Surgery Procedure for Severe Scoliosis

Hello, I want to introduce myself, I'm Dr. Neel Anand. I specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery and I created a new, minimally invasive procedure that straightens out the spine and maintains the correction.
This is very exciting, as I can operate on older adults who were either never screened or treated. The risks are reduced with less blood loss, we spare the muscles, so the recovery time is very quick, no ICU. Two weeks post op you will be standing up straight, with very little discomfort from the surgery itself, using only Tylenol. We welcome your questions. Please give us 48 hour turnaround on this forum. You may call my office or visit my website for more information or an appointment.

whats ur website?

I found his website:

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-s...s-surgery.html

I had my consultation with my surgeon, but know the difference between the surgeries.

Wow, Dr. Anand, if I didn't know you, I'd ask if you were smoking something.

Can you tell me how the surgery you're talking about differs from the surgeries being done by doctors like Newton and Picetti? Are you doing these surgeries on both adolescents and adults? Also, is this surgery appropriate for all types of curves? If not, how high, low, and how long are the fusions that you do?

I'm really concerned about your statement that you can do this surgery with minimal discomfort. Do all of your patients go without narcotics? If not, what percentage need narcotics?

Do you have any long-term outcome data yet?

The forum participants really jump on alternative practitioners about making false claims. I'd like to think that the traditional medical community is above making any unrealistic claims, but we shall see.

Regards,
Linda

I agree Linda, I am both curious and suspicious, but would love to hear more about it. I have a 52 degree curve and plan on doing my surgery in the Los Angeles area, which is were Dr. Anand is from. If I could do my surgery with less pain, I would love it. I look forward to my surgery for the pain and in order to stop the progression. I have shrunk 3 inches in the last 2 years, which is scary. waiting to hear more about it..thanks, Dr. Anand

Hi Rich...

I'm always a little suspicious when the results sound too good to be true.

--Linda

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LindaRacine

Wow, Dr. Anand, if I didn't know you, I'd ask if you were smoking something.

Can you tell me how the surgery you're talking about differs from the surgeries being done by doctors like Newton and Picetti?

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Wait a minute... are these experimental surgeries or established procedures?

And he posted to the kids' section (with the added mention of "fusion" for some reason). I assume he does them on kids, too.

this is information from his website,,, I need to have surgery from t12 to L5 and if it can be done, I am on board,, does anybody have any info on this new technique?


Multilevel Minimally Invasive Screws
[I][B]Using the CD Horizon Longitude system pedicle screws are placed over a guide wire in a minimally invasive fashion leaving the fascia and muscle intact. The rod is then threaded through the screw extenders. A set screw is used to secure the rod at each screw and the extenders are removed. This approach spares the muscles which are disrupted in open surgery and allows for long, multilevel fusion constructs.

Click here to learn more about Multilevel Minimally Invasive Screws
Stabilimax NZ Dynamic Spine Stabilization System
Stabilimax NZ is designed to offer a unique treatment for spinal stenosis called "dynamic stabilization." This means that while Stabilimax NZ works to stabilize the affected area of the spine, it does so in a manner which preserves both bending and twisting motions.

•Click here to learn more about Stabilimax NZ Dynamic Spine Stabilization System
NeoDisc™ Cervical Disc Replacement
Advancing motion preservation through soft fixation. The combined elastic material and embroidery technology of NeoDisc™ provides a variety of surgical options, including interbody and ligamentous, in motion preservation applications.

]

Ck out the video.

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-m...ve-screws.html

More scoli info

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-s...s-surgery.html

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Welcome Dr Anand,

Very interesting, and looks great. New technology is always welcome.

I was wondering how you bend the rods to form the shape you want. Establishing lordotic and kyphotic radius to achieve saggital balance?

Can you bend through the portals?

Also, how long can you go?

Can you do bad curves? If so, how bad?

How many people have you done with this technique?

Do you use cages? How do you get them in?

Can you use BMP?

Regards
Ed

Oh Boy!!! I hope this is not an advertisement for an experimental treatment.

Especially since there are new people here that are scared and not quite sure whether you are serving up the truth or a plate of bull$#@%. If this is true, give us more than a tease, a few pictures and a link to a site that not all can understand what you are saying. And why other Doctor's aren't using your technique?

We are not a bunch of lab rats, give us more information, make it so a child could understand it. Many of us here, have had ant. and/or post. surgeries. I had both, five disc removed, some hip and rib, then fused from T-1 to L-5, and I understood exactly what was going to happen to me.

This forum is for supporting, informing, sharing and comforting those that have gone through or are contemplating having this surgery. I hope you aren't here to prey on the members that are not sure what to do!!! This is not a billboard, and I can't help but wonder, along with Linda R., why you are on this forum.

God knows, I hope I'm wrong. Gotta go with the gut, and it's skeptical.

Sorry,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by titaniumed

Ck out the video.

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-m...ve-screws.html

More scoli info

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-s...s-surgery.html

================================================== ===================

Welcome Dr Anand,

Very interesting, and looks great. New technology is always welcome.

I was wondering how you bend the rods to form the shape you want. Establishing lordotic and kyphotic radius to achieve saggital balance?

Can you bend through the portals?

Also, how long can you go?

Can you do bad curves? If so, how bad?

How many people have you done with this technique?

Do you use cages? How do you get them in?

Can you use BMP?

Regards
Ed

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Hi Ed...

Rods are bent before they are implanted (in both open and minimally invasive procedures). You can see how the rod bending works in this animation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGCGr...eature=related

From what I can tell, there is no difference between what Dr. Anand is doing and what the other minimally invasive surgeons have been doing for quite some time. I think his choice of the words "I created" may be a bit of an exaggeration. Or, perhaps he does essentially what the pioneers have done, but added some tweek along the way??

Regards,
Linda

Linda, I called a surgeon here in New York who does minimally invasive surgery, and he told me that I was not a candidate. Although I have good posture, I have quite a prominent kyphosis. I wonder how Dr. Anand would deal with this. If everything else in my life cooperates, I hope to have surgery in June and be back at work in September. I am curious enough to call on Monday. You seem so knowledgeable - thanks for your input. Joy

Hi Joy...

I don't think I've ever heard of idiopathic kyphosis or kyphoscoliosis being treated with minimally invasive surgery. I'll be curious to hear what you find.

Regards,
Linda

Hi Linda

In this video from his site, the rod is inserted from the end. I'm assuming the rod starts out straight.

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-m...ve-screws.html

I have to admit that when I had my shoulder surgery and my gall bladder removed , I didn't need any drugs. I took 1 Celebrex and that was it. When they do any procedures through a endoscope, it makes it so much easier to recover.

These are great ideas........The Docs at Medtronic's thought so also.

================================================== ======================

Check this out. This is really neat as it preserves the joint.

Now this isn't Medtronic's, and under research study, but I wonder if this could be used under a scoli fusion???????????

If it doesn't work, you could remove it, and be back to where you were.

I'm wondering what material they are using outside of the springs, and will that material deteriorate? Also wondering about lateral movement in the springs affecting the spring covers?

I wonder how many of these have been installed, and how often the devices are monitored in the trial?
Watch video at bottom of page

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-s...on-system.html

Here is an interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OghJb4z58Dg

Regards
Ed

Ed...

Things could have changed since I saw the videos of the first minimally invasive scoliosis surgeries, but in those surgeries, the rod was bent prior to insertion.

--Linda

Quote:

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Originally Posted by titaniumed

Now this isn't Medtronic's, and under research study, but I wonder if this could be used under a scoli fusion???????????

If it doesn't work, you could remove it, and be back to where you were.

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You can be the guinea pig, and let us know. ;-)

The people who tried artificial discs under long fusions are pretty unhappy from what I've heard.

O.K., now i am completely confused..i clicked on that website animation, & to my ignorant eye, it looks as if the screws & rods pull the curve straight..how is that possible? & if that is not what i am seeing, it sure looks like it to me...

i have been told repeatedly by nyc surgeons, top surgeons, that i am not a candidate for minimally invasive anything when it comes to my curves...that i need fusion T11-S1 & L4-sacrum, with rods & many screws, etc etc..i cant imagine who IS a candidate, unless there is someone with a short, small curve...believe me, i asked & asked..inquired as to why there are no bendable rods, etc...surgeons told me those would not give sufficient support & would not be stable...

i wonder if this entry by the doctor is giving false hope to very vulnerable people..it sounds great, but too good to be true & not useful to very many scoli patients!

jess

Hi Jess...

There are lots of reasons why you might not be a candidate for a certain technique. You may also have seen surgeons who don't typically perform minimally invasive techniques. If you're interested in a minimally invasive approach, I suggest that you see one of the surgeons who specialize in this type of procedure.

As you saw in the video, in both minimally invasive and open surgery, the curves are straightened by means of rotating the rods.

Regards,
Linda

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rich1752

I found his website:

http://www.infospine.net/treatment-s...s-surgery.html

I had my consultation with my surgeon, but know the difference between the surgeries.

---

Hi...

I just looked at the website, and see that the technique Dr. Anand is using is a posterior approach. As far as I know, the other minimally invasive surgeons are doing anterior approaches.

While I think this looks interesting, I would personally want to know how many of these surgeries have been done, and what the long term outcomes are. I would also be a little concerned about the potential for a surgeon to have a stake in not giving his/her patients narcotics.

--Linda

thanks linda

the really excellent nyc surgeons who told me i am not a candidate said i need both posterior/anterior approaches...& incisions that looked long (to me)...I would be thrilled to qualify for minimally anything with this spine of mine!

thanks for all
jess

Linda

This is new to me also.

Things are moving along and getting better every day. There are quite a few people working on spinal devices right now. Its a huge market.

Ohh, I've been the guinea pig, maybe not as bad as some, but people will volunteer. Its their decision. That's why people need to be informed about the decision making process, being online, communicating on these scoli forums.

Since the people that had the artificial discs installed under long fusions are unhappy, this results in future development. I don't think that brainstorming the matter will hurt.

Lets just wait for a response from Dr Anands office.

Ed

When you say that people who have artificial disc under long fusions are not happy with their outcome, what does that mean? My doctor told me that I have degenerated disc where my curve is at and have to have anterior and posterior surgery. He said that i will need the first surgery to fix the disc and then a couple days later another surgery for the rods. Is this how they normally do it? This sounds painful and not to mention a long hospital stay. I HATE HOSPITALS!

Rich

Surgeons do different "staged" operations. I had an anterior done first, that's where they go in from the front and go all the way down to the spine moving all your organs to the side and performing a discectomy, they remove your discs, and install cages. Its the "anterior release" part of the surgery. They carefully sew things back together, and then start the 2nd stage a few days later. The posterior operation was done on me 2 days later, that's where they drill, ream, and tap, install all the screws, then bend and mount the the rods. Mine was an anterior/posterior (A/P) surgery and it looks like this is what they are suggesting for you.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatmen...fusion-surgery

I was fused to the pelvis. That happens when the curve is bad down low. If the curve isn't that bad down low, some surgeons will fuse to the upper lumbar areas, L2,or L3 and leave the lowest joints intact. This is done for mobility. Some patients with these fusion levels after years will have pain in those lower joints as those joints are absorbing all the work. Some have elected to have artificial discs installed in these areas to save that mobility.

Once a disc is removed, you can fuse it, or install an artificial disc.The Stabilimax NZ Dynamic spine stabilization system looked interesting as it preserves the joint and you keep your disc. We still haven't heard back from Dr Anand as to weather this can be used under fusions.

Hope this helped answer your question.
Ed

In the middle of the night, I woke up wondering how one gets good fusion with this (Dr. Anand's) method. What's the pseudarthrosis rate?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rich1752

When you say that people who have artificial disc under long fusions are not happy with their outcome, what does that mean? My doctor told me that I have degenerated disc where my curve is at and have to have anterior and posterior surgery. He said that i will need the first surgery to fix the disc and then a couple days later another surgery for the rods. Is this how they normally do it? This sounds painful and not to mention a long hospital stay. I HATE HOSPITALS!

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Hi Rich...

Artificial discs are devices that are made to replace discs that are injured. In the U.S., I think that artificial discs are approved for 1 or 2 levels. They are not approved for use above or below previous fusions. The few cases I've heard of, where they were used below a long fusion, have been disasters, because there is a huge amount of stress on the artificial disc, being the first free joint below the fusion mass.

Here's a photo of how artificial discs are used:

http://www.eorthopod.com/public/pati...placement.html

I suspect that what the surgeon is talking about in your case, is removing a disc or discs that have gone bad, and replacing them with cages, bone discs, or other fusion material, so that both the front and back of the spine are fused at the apex of your curve.

Regards,
Linda

I just love seeing these advances in spinal surgeries. I can see fusionless minimally invasive surgery within the next decade.

If this is a legitimate technique I think this Doctor should be thanked for bringing this to out attention.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by scoliosisdoctor

Hello, I want to introduce myself, I'm Dr. Neel Anand. I specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery and I created a new, minimally invasive procedure that straightens out the spine and maintains the correction.
This is very exciting, as I can operate on older adults who were either never screened or treated. The risks are reduced with less blood loss, we spare the muscles, so the recovery time is very quick, no ICU. Two weeks post op you will be standing up straight, with very little discomfort from the surgery itself, using only Tylenol. We welcome your questions. Please give us 48 hour turnaround on this forum. You may call my office or visit my website for more information or an appointment.

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Hi Dr. Anand - welcome. I see you are not only a surgeon - but an SRS surgeon! I'm not familiar with this new surgery but will be looking over the web site.

I'd like to know (from you) if you've been using this technique with older patients (say, 60ish), with both thoracic and thoracolumbar curves? And if so, what the short term outcome has been with them.

I'm currently bracing with Spinecor and I'm confident in the treatment I'm receiving. Still, one never knows what any individual curve may do - so I like to keep a plan B in my back pocket ;-)

Wonderful to have an SRS surgeon on board - I'm sure you can contribute a lot of valuable information to the conversations we have here.

Case Study #5 a woman in her 70's

http://www.infospine.net/patient-tes...ngeles-ca.html

Have to say, that looks promising.