(HealthNewsDigest.com) - According to the National Institutes of Health, eight out of ten Americans will experience debilitating back pain sometime in their lives.  As a result, more than 1.2 million Americans undergo spinal surgery each year.  Approximately 300,000 of those back surgeries were spinal fusions, where vertebrae are joined surgically so they can't move. They're often held in place, permanently, with metal screws or rods.

Dr. Michael A. Gleiber, a South Florida Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon is introducing an innovative minimally invasive procedure bringing a new hope for back pain sufferers.  Unlike traditional surgery, which requires an overnight hospital stay or longer, this procedure is quicker, easier, and more cost effective.  "Where it was once inconceivable that major spine surgery could be completed without hospitalization, this is now the reality.  For example, a patient suffering from a painful herniated disc used to require massively invasive open back surgery and possibly spinal fusion. Now, we are able to use surgical magnification and microscopic surgical techniques to correct the disc disorder without the long-term side effects of major surgery."

Dr. Michael Gleiber performs MIS surgery (minimally invasive spine surgery), a specialty type of surgery that uses a small incision and real-time x-ray guidance to get to the affected areas of the spine without cutting through muscle. Dr. Gleiber uses advancements in technology to pinpoint a problem area - a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, etc - so that just a small incision is needed.   Traditional spine surgery requires 5 or 6-inch incision followed by the slicing through or retraction  - moving aside - of muscles surrounding the spine and the risk of damage to normal tissue.  It can lead to hospital stays of five or more days - as well as prolonged pain and recovery time.  Dr. Gleiber proposes a completely different approach.  The surgery, called laminectomy utilizes magnification to see inside the 2-inch incision and precisely locate the lamina - the top portion of the vertebrae - for removal, widening the spinal canal and creating more space for the spinal nerves.  The result is quicker recovery, decreased operative blood loss, decreased risk of infection and decreased time in the operating room.

According to Dr. Gleiber, minimally invasive spine surgery is becoming "the norm" of how spine procedures can and should be performed for patients. These benefits include safer surgery, less violation of the healthy soft tissues and muscles in the spine, decreased pain requirements, decreased blood loss, more accurate placement of implants and a faster return to work as well as shorter hospital stays.  Dr. Gleiber's patients typically will have surgery in the morning and be able to walk with physical therapy approximately 5000 feet within hours after surgery the same day.

"What I found across the board was that patients that had minimally invasive spine surgery ended up leaving the hospital within a day or two, returning to work earlier and their pain after surgery was significantly decreased compared to patients who have had the same procedure using large open incisions."

www.michaelgleibermd.com

Michael A. Gleiber, M.D., F.A.A.O.S., PA

www.michaelgleibermd.com

Michael A. Gleiber, M.D. is a Board Certified, Fellowship Trained orthopedic spine surgeon and the Affiliate Assistant Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences at The Charles E. Schmidt Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine for Spine Surgery.  Dr. Gleiber focuses his practice exclusively to injuries and diseases of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.  He treats all spinal disorders including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, myelopathy, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal trauma, and tumors and infections of the spine.

A native of South Florida, Dr. Gleiber attended The University of Miami where he received his Bachelors of Science degree.  He earned his medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.   Dr. Gleiber was the recipient of several awards including the Julius Nevaiser Award for the most promising future as an orthopedic surgeon, the Alec Horwitz Scholar Award for the most honors grades during the first year of medical school and graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha Honors.

Dr. Gleiber completed his internship in general surgery and residency at Columbia University, an Ivy League research university in New York City.  Dr. Gleiber was recognized by the faculty at Columbia University in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University.  He received the Harold M. Dick Award for excellence in orthopedic surgery, the Harrison McLaughlin Award for demonstrating excellence in orthopedic trauma surgery and the Leonard Marmor Surgical Arthritis Foundation Award. Dr. Gleiber was selected to serve as Administrative Chief Resident in his final year at Columbia University. After residency, he attended The Kenton D. Leatherman Spine Surgery Fellowship where he received neurosurgical and orthopaedic training in all areas of the spine.  While in fellowship, a significant portion of his time was devoted to treating spinal trauma and spinal cord injuries.

Dr. Gleiber is a frequently invited guest lecturer at research institutions and hospitals where he is asked to share his knowledge on the surgical and non-surgical treatment of various spinal conditions.

Hospital Affiliations:

• University of Miami Hospital
• Boca Raton Regional Hospital
• Good Samaritan Medical Center
• Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center

Professional Honors:

• 2013 Castle Connolly Top Doctor in the Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Expertise: Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery, Spinal Deformity, Spinal Disc Replacement, Spinal Surgery, Spinal Surgery-Adult & Pediatric, Spinal Trauma
• Becker's Spine Review selects Dr. Gleiber as one of the country's Top 100 Spine Surgery Practices to Know for the second year in a row
• Awarded 2013 Patients' Choice Fifth Anniversary Award as one of Florida's Favorite Physicians by Vitals.com
• Elected 2013 Super Doctors in Boca Raton
• Named ASC Leader to Know by Becker's ASC Review in 2012
• Named one of The Top 50 Spine Surgery Practices by Becker's Spine Review in 2012
• Honored by Becker's Orthopedic and Spine as one of 200 Spine Surgeons to Know in 2012

Professional Societies and Committees:

• North American Spine Society
• The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
• Active Fellow: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
• Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
• Palm Beach County Medical Society
• Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society
• New York Orthopedic Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Alumni Association, New York City

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