Minimally Invasive Treatments in Pontiac, Michigan

Top Neurosurgeons in Michigan | Dr. Todd Francis - smiling-couple

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeries Generally Mean Less Risk and Shorter Recovery Times

More than ever, there is a greater need for minimally invasive spinal surgeries, primarily because the risk of injury to nearby muscles and tissues is reduced due to the smaller incision size. It can also result in less pain for the patient and faster recovery time. For obvious reasons, patients are becoming more interested in non-invasive spinal surgery, which happens to be a field that Dr. Francis specializes in. As a neurosurgeon with decades of experience in his field, he has practiced innovative, minimally invasive spinal surgery techniques to perfection, ensuring his patients always get the care they deserve.

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NuVasive MAS TLIF

Minimally invasive surgeries rely on procedures and tools such as the MAS TLIF to stabilize the spine, reducing a patient’s pain levels in the lower back and extremities with a less invasive approach. Dr. Francis uses a minimal access approach for lumbar interbody fusion. He then will use the MAS TLIF retractor, modular screws, and the O-Arm with neuronavigation to perform a lumbar fusion through two small incisions in the back. Ask Dr. Francis about your minimally invasive surgical options to help you find pain relief and discover if MAS TLIF is a good choice for your spinal condition.

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Prone XLIF

For patients with Prone XLIF, Dr. Francis uses neuronavigation and O-Arm combined with NuVasive XLIF to approach your lumbar interbody space from as high as T12-L1 to L4-5, all from the prone position. This allows him to perform posterior and/or anterior column releases and then approach your disc space laterally, allowing him to gain more correction at a given level without having to stage the surgery on different days or flip a patient multiple times in the operating room. This technique drastically reduces operative time, blood loss, and hospital stay. This is a relatively new approach and Dr. Francis is the only surgeon in the midwest, and one of only a handful of surgeons nationwide, that is qualified to utilize this technique. In fact, Dr. Francis has been entrusted by NuVasive with teaching other neurosurgeons how to perform this minimally invasive surgery. You can feel confident in Dr. Francis' capable hands, no matter what your spinal condition may be.

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Minimally Invasive Decompressions and Osteocool Ablation

For patients who need minimally invasive decompression, Dr. Francis will use tubular retractors in combination with neuronavigation or fluoroscopy to perform microdiscectomies or decompressions through a 1-inch incision.

For osteocool ablation, he will use Osteocool Ablation the Medtronic Osteocool Ablation device which destroys vertebral osseous tumors or metastases, followed by cement kyphoplasty, which can relieve pain through a 1 mm incision.

In both procedures, Dr. Francis places his patient’s care first. Prior to your surgery, he will walk you through your entire procedure from start to finish. You will be able to ask him all of your questions about recovery time, pain levels, and what you can expect following the surgery. To schedule a consultation with him, contact St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital’s neurological department.

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