Bonati procedures

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A world-renowned pioneer in the application of laser-assisted arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Alfred O. Bonati is the Chairman and Chief Orthopedic Surgeon at The Bonati Institute which he owns and operates. Dr. Bonati is a graduate of the University of Seville and the Bowman Gray Medical School, and completed internships and residencies at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, the University of Alabama, and Georgetown University.

The Bonati Procedures

In the past “open” laminectomy surgery was a standard treatment for spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a condition whereby a bulging or degenerating vertebral disc narrows the spinal canal and pinches the nerve roots running from the spinal cord. The result is low back pain and radiating leg pain. “Open” laminectomy surgeries usually require a large incision to locate and remove the portion of the disc pressing on the nerve root. However, “open” surgery can be very traumatic to the muscles and tissues and can cause severe scarring. Even with the best results, patients of “open” laminectomies can experience pain for several months, and often face the very high probability that there will be no permanent relief.

The Bonati Procedures refer to patents that were obtained by Alfred Bonati on discectomy procedures in the early 1990's. His patents refer to the use of tubes to perform discectomy procedures. Although percutaneous discectomies weren't invented by Dr. Bonati, his patents gave alternatives in the means to perform such procedures. Minimally invasive spine surgery is defined as a surgery with an incision of less than one inch (2.5 cm). Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is also referred to as endoscopic spine surgery, microspine surgery, laser spine surgery, arthroscopic spine surgery and percutaneous spine surgery. MISS is a simple and far less invasive alternative to traditional “open” laminectomy and spinal fusion surgeries and causes less trauma to the muscles and tissues, it also produces less blood loss, a shorter recovery period, reduced scarring, and less chance of infection or complications. Although All minimally invasive spinal procedures involve the usage of tubular retractors and procedures are similar to conventional surgery except that the procedures involve smaller incisions.

Although Dr. Bonati has never published data to support his claims, his website claims that more than 90% of The Bonati Institute’s patients report immediate improvement following a Bonati Procedure. Most literature on the subject reveals success rates similar to conventional surgery at 70% good to excellent.