What is ultrasonic spine surgery?

Ultrasonic spine surgery uses a device that cuts bone using high-frequency vibrations while sparing soft tissue. This precision is especially useful when decompressing the spinal cord or nerve roots in anatomically complex areas.

How does ultrasonic bone cutting differ from standard instruments?

Standard rotary drills cut indiscriminately through bone and soft tissue. Ultrasonic instruments are designed to dissipate energy primarily in mineralized tissue, offering more control near the spinal cord and nerve roots.

What procedures benefit from ultrasonic techniques?

Ultrasonic instruments are used in laminectomy, laminoplasty, deformity correction, and procedures involving ossified ligament or tumor removal near neural structures.

Ultrasonic Spine Surgery

Schedule Consultation Call Now

Ultrasonic Spine Surgery: Quick Facts

Ultrasonic spine surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses an ultrasonic device to precisely remove bone while preserving nearby soft tissues, helping relieve pressure on the spinal cord and spinal nerves.
This technology is commonly used to treat conditions such as spinal stenosis, bone spurs, herniated discs, and other causes of nerve compression that require the removal of a small amount of bone during spine surgery.
Unlike traditional surgical instruments, the ultrasonic device selectively cuts dense bone while minimizing injury to surrounding structures such as nerves, ligaments, and the protective covering of the spinal cord (dura), allowing for greater precision and safety.
Ultrasonic spine surgery is not a separate procedure but an advanced surgical tool that can be incorporated into many minimally invasive and traditional spine surgeries when appropriate.
Patients may benefit from smaller incisions, less disruption of healthy tissue, reduced postoperative pain, and a faster recovery compared with traditional bone-cutting techniques, although recovery depends on the underlying procedure being performed.
A comprehensive evaluation by a spine surgeon is necessary to determine whether ultrasonic spine surgery is appropriate based on the patient’s diagnosis, spinal anatomy, and treatment goals.

Ultrasonic spine surgery can be used for many conditions, but is most often utilized when it is necessary to remove a small amount of bone to treat a patient’s pain.

While traditional spine surgery is safe and effective, the usual instruments used to carve away bone or tissue can be tedious and difficult to maneuver, particularly when working in very close proximity to nerves or the spinal cord.

How is Ultrasonic Spine Surgery Performed?

Ultrasonic spinal surgery utilizes a novel and innovative ultrasonic device. This device uses ultrasound waves at a specific frequency range to perform cuts into dense tissues, such as bone. Since soft tissue structures, such as the dura and ligamentum flavum, are of a different density, these structures can move away and bend from the device’s blades; therefore, sparing these soft tissue structures. This tool allows surgeons to perform precise bone cuts with tissue selectivity, allowing this device to perform bone cuts with greater accuracy and safety.

Hiker

Living Life Again

At VSI, we celebrate every patient’s unique journey as a series of victories, regardless of how big or small. Our logo and brand were crafted for you, our incredible patients. Your progress towards your goals deserves the spotlight, reflecting our commitment to individualized treatment and care. Your Victories are what make VSI who we are! #MyVictoryStory

What are the Benefits of Ultrasonic Spine Surgery?

An ultrasonic device allows the surgeon to very precisely sculpt away bone or other tissues to relieve pressure on nerves with minimal disruption to the surrounding area.

Better accuracy in bone cutting
Less cutting of soft tissues
Decrease in vibration of the tool while cutting (safer when working around spinal cord and nerves)

Frequently Asked Questions about Ultrasonic Spine surgery

Ultrasonic spine surgery uses an oscillating, linear blade {or shaver tip} that moves at a high frequency of approximately 22,500 times per second. That’s over 1,000,000 times a minute! This high frequency movement allows the blade to effectively remove hard tissue {i.e. bone spurs} without disrupting soft tissues nearby {i.e. muscles or nerves}.

Because bone is more rigid and less elastic, the ultrasonic blade’s energy is quickly absorbed by the bone when the tip touches it. This means the blade does not bend or deform at the point of contact, but easily cuts through the bone. Alternatively, soft tissue is less rigid and does not absorb the energy transferred from the blade. That means the blade is able to safely work around the soft tissues without causing damage or injury.

Learn more and find out if you’re a candidate for Ultrasonic Spine Surgery.

Schedule Consultation