Laser spine surgery.
The very description conjures images of the latest space-age technology coming to the operating room.
But that’s not exactly the case, says South Denver Neurosurgery spine expert Paul Boone, MD.
“Lasers aren’t used in surgery the way people imagine,” Boone says. “It’s not Star Wars.”
A laser is a focused light beam that is powerful enough to be used for cutting tissues. Laser technology is used in many types of medical procedures, including eye surgery, tumor removal, and cosmetic procedures.
But often, the term “laser surgery” is used to describe what may, in fact, be minimally invasive spinal surgery, Boone says.