Two 2-3 cm incisions are made on either side of the lumbar spine at the affected level. After incising the skin, a minimally invasive approach is made down to the vertebral body using dilating tubes. Spinal screws are placed and secured into the vertebral body of spine. To place the screws accurately, live x-ray, direct visualization and live nerve monitoring are used to minimize any risk.

After the screws are placed, Dr. Rodriguez removes any bone and disc compressing the spinal nerves. A plastic spacer and donated bone graft are implanted within the disc space becoming a scaffold and bridge to promote a fusion from one level to the next.

Additional donor bone graft is placed between the screws laterally, to further support and promote a solid fusion between the two vertebral body levels. This fusion provides stability for the spine by stopping movement that used to cause mechanical pain when the patient moved. The surgery also provides complete decompression of any pressure on the nerves at this level.

Most patients stay in the hospital overnight until the next afternoon. The overnight stay allows for adequate training with a physical therapist and establishes good pain control with medications before the patients goes home. After the surgery, all patients wear a back brace when out of bed for 3 months to provide support for the muscles, reduce the use of pain medications, and diminish the stress on the screws that have been placed. In patients that are at high risk of the bones not fusing together, Dr. Rodriguez often orders an external bone growth stimulator to minimize this risk. Patients can return to light duty jobs as early as 6 weeks out from the surgery; however, Dr. Rodriguez usually recommends that the patients plan on being off of work for 3 months. Heavy labor positions may require 6 months to 12 months before full release to work.