Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is a beautifully illustrated atlas describing the 18 most widely accepted minimally invasive procedures in spine surgery. Written by leaders in both neurologic and orthopedic spine surgery, this book offers the most up-to-date material and the broadest perspective on the subject. Procedures range from simple to complex and cover the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine.

Unlike any other surgical specialty, spine surgery has evolved rapidly over the past three decades. I have been fortunate to observe this evolution over the past 40 years from the time I started my internship. At that time spine surgery was not a favorite rotation for the house staff and used to take the back seat to all other, more interesting orthopedic procedures. Diagnostic knee arthroscopy was just being introduced, and that was all we knew of the concept of less invasive surgery. Duringmy training as a resident and, later, as a fellow in spine surgery, the focus was on fusion techniques, especially for spinal fractures and deformities. Although many principles of spine care have remained the same over the years, methods and surgical techniques have changed dramatically, as evident in minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS). Most of these techniques have withstood the test of time, though some did not, but all have contributed to our understanding and knowledge of spine surgery.