Our surgeons are truly at the leading edge of minimally invasive spine surgery. Elsewhere, many spinal surgeries are still done traditionally, requiring long incisions and lengthy recoveries. Here, at the International Spine Center, Dubrovnik, the majority of spine surgeries are done through a few tiny cuts. Patients suffer much less pain and are back to their normal activities in a few days to weeks, depending on the surgery. With open surgery, recovery can take months to a year in some cases.

Benefits to Consider
No other medical center in the region currently treats as many back and neck problems as we do using minimally invasive approaches. Our premier surgeons can stabilize painful joints, decompress pinched nerves, fuse bones, and correct deformities--all through small incisions.
Almost all of these minimally invasive procedures are performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon inserts his instruments through a small cut and guides it to the problem area. Muscles are then dilated apart, rather than cut, and the operation is performed with minimal injury to any surrounding tissues. Throughout the operation, the X -Ray images shows on a large video screen, directing the surgeon on real time.
Minimally invasive spine surgery offers the same post-surgical benefits as traditional spine surgery--but with much less trauma. A smaller incision is not the only advantage. Using our state of the art technology, the surgeon does not need to move, or "retract," the major muscles on the back, which is necessary during open spine surgery. So, patients are spared the pain and scarring that can develop after muscle retraction. Patients also require much less anesthesia during minimally invasive procedures. In addition, hospital stays is usually not needed. Many patients are able to go home couple of hours after spine surgery. Open spine surgery usually requires four to five days in the hospital.

At the Forefront of Technology
Our surgeons can even perform very complex spinal surgeries using minimally invasive techniques. For instance, they can remove hard-to-reach spinal tumors through tiny incisions. They can also place some types of spinal instrumentation, or screws and rods, to help stabilize and fuse the spine.
All of these operations done through a tiny incision, while watching it on the TV monitor. Each of these techniques provides for safe, surgical procedures with much less pain.

World-Class Surgeons
Our world-respected spine surgeons began using minimally invasive techniques years before other surgeons did. In fact, one of our premier spine surgeons helped develop many of the techniques that are currently used to treat back and neck problems around the world with minimally invasive proceedures.