Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) is a classic and very reliable surgery that treats pinched nerves (cervical radiculopathy) or a compressed spinal cord (cervical myelopathy). This surgery is a gold standard operation and was first described by Smith and Robinson in 1958. This is the original minimally invasive spine surgery as the surgery is performed in the plane BETWEEN structures in the neck and involves minimal muscle dissection.

Prone Transpsoas Lateral Interbody Fusion (PTP LIF) is a minimally invasive spinal fusion technique. Minimally Invasive Surgical (MIS) techniques result in faster recover and less blood loss and postoperative pain compared to traditional techniques.

Minimally Invasive Posterior Cervical Fusion (MIS PCF) is a way of stabilizing vertebrae in the neck through small 1cm incisions. Traditional open posterior cervical fusion is achieved through a midline incision and requires dissection and detachment of cervical paraspinal muscles from their attachments to the bones of the cervical spine. The bones are stabilized with screws and rods until a bridge of bone or fusion can form between the bones. Open posterior cervical fusion with lateral mass screws and rods has been around since the early 1980s and is a very effective technique to achieve fusion. The major drawback is that the dissection required to place these screws causes significant postoperative pain and makes for a longer recovery.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery differs from traditional, open spine surgery in that fusion is achieved primarily through the interbody space rather than the posterolateral gutter.