Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Primer by Luis Manuel Tumialán is the ideal introduction to minimally invasive spine approaches, especially for neurosurgery and orthopedic residents, fellows, and spine surgeons who want to incorporate minimally invasive approaches into their practice. The Primer offers a treasure trove of 3D illustrations and animations that virtually brings the aspiring minimally invasive spine surgeon into the operating room alongside their professor. The text starts with a discussion of open spine surgery versus minimally invasive procedures and the optimal mindset required to convert from one to the other.
The book is divided into lumbar, cervical, and thoracic spine sections, and a fourth section dedicated to the fundamentals of fluoroscopy and radiation exposure. The text begins with an overview, history, and evolution of each procedure, followed by a discussion of the anatomical basis for using a minimally invasive approach. Each anatomical section starts with the least complicated surgeries, thereby laying the foundation for more complex procedures discussed in subsequent chapters. The third section focuses on thoracic decompression, nerve sheath tumors in the lumbar and thoracic spine, and management of metastatic disease and intradural extramedullary lesions.
