Minimally invasive spine
Surgery is overall become less invasive with time, and the spine is no exception. With the advent of new instrumentation and improved imaging technique, there has been a progressive uptake in minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) in recent years. Although MIS technique has been proposed as early as the 1980s, strong clinical evidence to support its potential benefits is still being formulated and assessed. Early and lower-quality evidence suggests MIS is associated with less blood loss, less pain and reduced hospital stay. However, long-term benefit compared with traditional open approaches is not clear.
We are proud to present another specialised focused issue in MIS. There is a need for further higher quality data to fully assess the risks and benefits of MIS, and this JSS issue may help add a small piece to the puzzle. Of course, further randomized trials and objective data capture will be necessary to demonstrate outcomes between various techniques. We are grateful for the authors and contributions to this special issue. We hope you this focussed issue and hope it further stimulates research in this exciting area.
Acknowledgments
Funding: None.
Footnote
Provenance and Peer Review: This article was commissioned by the editorial office, Journal of Spine Surgery. The article did not undergo external peer review.
Conflicts of Interest: Both authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jss-20-618). RJM serves as an unpaid Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Spine Surgery from Sep 2015 to Sep 2025. KP serves as an unpaid Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Spine Surgery from Sep 2015 to Sep 2025.
Ethical Statement: The authors are accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
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