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Frequently Asked Questions about
Laser Spine Surgery
USA Spine Care’s frequently asked questions were designed for people like you — who want relief from chronic neck or back pain, but still have a list of questions to ask the surgeon before and after back surgery. If you’re just beginning your spine treatment journey or are well on your way, we hope this information gives you the answers you need to move from a life a pain to the life you love.
General Questions
Finding out if you’re a candidate for one of USA Spine Care’s minimally invasive spine procedures is simple. Just send us your most recent MRI or CT images and the report that goes with it, and we’ll let you know if we can treat your condition in two business days. If you live near a USA Spine Care surgery center, you can schedule an in-person consultation with one of our physicians and learn if we can treat your condition. Find out more about our free MRI review* or to schedule a consultation at USA Spine Care.
Experience — there’s no substitute for it. That’s why we employ a dedicated team of anesthesiologists, physicians and board-certified surgeons+ who combine their talents to develop a personalized plan of care that puts you on the path to relief. Our skilled surgeons are trained in our minimally invasive spine procedures, giving them the exclusive skill set to treat many complex spine conditions.
From the time you arrive at our state-of-the-art facility, until the time you head home, the typical patient journey is five days. This includes two full days of clinical evaluations and diagnostic testing, your surgery day and your postoperative meeting. For more information, see our USA Spine Care's streamlined patient journey.
To ensure your safety, USA Spine Care requires all patients to be accompanied by someone who is at least 18 years of age and competent to attend testing, surgical and postoperative appointments with you. Your Care Partner will join you in the recovery room after surgery, get preoperative instructions for you and help you for the first 24 hours after your procedure. Please select someone who is responsible and both willing and able assist you during this important time.
Medical
USA Spine Care’s minimally invasive spine procedures are ideal for those patients seeking minimal downtime, an outpatient setting, a less than 1-inch incision and — most of all — maximum results.
Advantages of USA Spine Care’s minimally invasive spine surgery include:
- No lengthy recovery^
- Outpatient procedure
- Board-certified surgeons+
- Less than 1-inch incision
USA Spine Care’s outpatient setting minimizes your risk of infections and complications. And these low infection and complication rates are just two of the reasons more than 75,000 patients have trusted us with their care. Our minimally invasive procedures are a safer and effective alternative to traditional open back procedures.^
- Infection rate of 0.55 percent compared to other providers’ infection rates of up to 16 percent
- Complication rate of 2.26 percent compared to other providers’ complication rates at 16.4 percent
Most of the surgeries performed at USA Spine Care uses a combination of local anesthesia (numbing medicine) and intravenous sedation (pain medication, sedatives). These are administered by our anesthesia team which consists of skilled anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists who work together to ensure your safety and comfort throughout surgery. After the procedure, patients are taken to the recovery area, where they’ll remain for 60 to 90 minutes prior to being discharged from the facility.
Once we've reviewed your MRI report, we can determine if our procedures can help treat your specific condition. Here are some of the most common conditions we provide relief from:
- Pinched Nerve
- Bulging/herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Arthritis of the spine
- Sciatica
See a full list of conditions we treat
At USA Spine Care, your safety is our priority. That’s why a member of our team will reach out to you to review the list of prescription and over-the-counter medications you must stop taking five days before your surgery. They will also discuss which blood thinning medications you need to continue taking unless we receive written approval to stop them from your prescribing physician. Download the medication lists here.
A laminotomy is one of the more common decompression procedures our board-certified surgeons+ perform. This surgery is done to relieve pressure on the spinal cord compressed by spinal stenosis, which involves a narrowing within the openings of the spine. To open up the spinal canal, we use a minimally invasive approach for laminotomies. We do not, however, perform the laminectomy procedure. The difference between the two surgeries is a laminotomy removes only part of the lamina whereas a laminectomy removes the entire lamina.
The word “laser” is part of our name, but the majority of the procedures our board-certified surgeons+ perform are done so with other surgical tools. The most common procedure the laser is used for is facet thermal ablation. Performed with a very small incision, the laser helps relieve pain caused by arthritis in the facet joints. Facet thermal ablation is most often done in conjunction with a minimally invasive decompression.
Costs
Depending on your insurance plan, a payment may be due at the time of surgery. This amount will vary depending on your specific coverage and deductible. This time of service payment will be applied toward your patient responsibility. And this remaining balance will reflect any deductible, coinsurance or copayment amounts that exceed the money paid up front. Learn more about how your insurance can pay for your laser spine procedure
Your time is valuable. That’s why when you have questions to ask before spinal surgery, they often focus on two things — how long your recovery process will take and how many days you’ll be required to stay in a hospital. USA Spine Care’s outpatient procedures use a less than 1-inch incision, which means less downtime and more time to get back to the life you love. Because traditional open back surgery requires a larger incision, a multiple day stay in the hospital and lengthy recovery, these costs can add up to large hospital bill and smaller paychecks from time off work.
To help our patients afford the minimally invasive surgery they need, USA Spine Care is pleased to partner with CareCredit. This flexible financing option offers patients who qualify the opportunity to find relief from the chronic neck and back pain they’ve been suffering from.
CareCredit is one of the largest health and wellness credit cards in the nation with more than 9 million cardholders. And it’s popular with our patients looking for an easy way to finance their surgery.
Advantages include:
- Special financing available*
- No penalty for early payments
- Accepted nationwide for most medical services
- Quick application process
- Allows for co-applicants
Supplemental options are available to those who do not qualify. To learn more about CareCredit, call your Patient Empowerment Consultant.
*Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required. Ask us for details.
Insurance
USA Spine Care works with many insurance companies to provide our patients with a cost-effective way to find relief. Each individual insurance policy provides varying levels of coverage. To discuss your specific insurance coverage, we encourage you to call your dedicated Patient Empowerment Consultant.
USA Spine Care’s services are partially covered by Medicare and Medicare replacement plans. What this means is we bill our services in two portions: professional fees and facility fees. Medicare will only cover the costs associated with our professional fees (for doctors, medical professionals and the procedure you received). USA Spine Care will bill Medicare for these costs.
Because USA Spine Care’s ambulatory surgery center facility fees are not covered by Medicare, we cannot bill that portion of the cost through Medicare. To find out more about your specific plan, or learn about financing options for back surgery, we encourage you to talk with a dedicated Patient Empowerment Consultant.
Yes. USA Spine Care will verify your benefits before you arrive including coinsurance, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, policy limitations or precertifications, as provided by your insurance policy. While some of our services require precertification, we will attempt to authorize your surgery with your insurance carrier. We will also file your claims on your behalf for most insurance carriers. Because insurance for spinal surgery can differ from provider to provider, we invite you to speak with us so we can help you find the lasting relief you deserve.
Recovery
The days and weeks after surgery can be some of the most crucial to your recovery. That’s why we ask you to slow down and take it easy, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and take all medications as directed. It’s important to limit activity (bending, lifting, twisting) that applies added weight to the spine.
We also ask that you follow these recovery guidelines:
- Wear your brace for the time recommended by your surgeon for your surgery type.
- Bend from your hips if you’ve had a lumbar procedure. DO NOT bend from your spine.
- DO NOT reach overhead if you’ve had a cervical procedure. Ask for assistance.
- Schedule an appointment with your local USA Spine Care clinic or your primary care provider to have your incision checked two weeks after your surgery.
To make sure you stay the course, we’ll be checking in with you 2, 6 and 12 weeks after surgery to see how you’re feeling and help guide you a successful recovery. Should you need assistance during your recovery, we encourage you to call our SPINE LINE and speak with a nurse. We’re here 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide answers.
Because everyone heals at a unique pace, some patients may require physical therapy to help them recover after surgery. USA Spine Care’s Patient Services Department is committed to helping you during this part of your journey. If you feel you need physical therapy, please call the SPINE LINE and request a prescription for physical therapy.
We recommend lifting no more than 10 to 15 pounds for at least four weeks after surgery. And because each patient heals at his or her own rate, we recommend a gradual return to normal activities to allow maximum healing. You can also gradually increase your activity level after two weeks based on how you feel, continuing this gradual progress for four to six weeks after surgery. If you’ve had a fusion procedure, it may be six weeks or more. And we ask that during this time of recovery, you avoid any prolonged postures and vary your activities and positions. View our Postoperative Recovery Guide for minimally invasive decompression or minimally invasive stabilization.
Most patients can drive 24 hours after surgery. Patients undergoing a minimally invasive stabilization procedure may not drive for up to two weeks after surgery. Patients must not drive while taking pain medications or muscle relaxers. If riding long distances, we ask that you stop every hour to stretch and walk.
Whether your job involves light desk duty, or is more physical in nature, USA Spine Care sets realistic return to work and daily activity expectations. We base this on outcomes from patients with similar types of work roles. Depending on your job description and individual recovery, we recommend you take at least two weeks off work after your surgery. Some patients may need 6 to 12 weeks.
- 88 percent of patients return to daily activities within three months^
- 81 percent of patients return to work with three months^
Download your minimally invasive spine surgery info packet and receive our e‑newsletter.
^Results are typical, but not guaranteed, each patients experience with spine surgery will differ.
For more information, visit usaspinecare.com/results. The information contained on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to serve as a replacement for a medical diagnosis.
*Our MRI review is an informational review of the MRI report that you provide to us and is not a form of diagnosis. A diagnosis and a final determination of whether you may benefit from treatment at USA Spine Care can only be made after you have been physically examined by our medical professionals at USA Spine Care. The MRI review has no value and will not be billed.
+For more information, visit usaspinecare.com/surgeons.
Laser Spine Number Institute
866-DOCS-LSI
866-362-7574
866-249-1627
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