@domiha Mike, I think your prior lumbar laminectomy is part of the decision about what your surgeon now plans for the next surgery. With ALIF, in my understanding, access to the spine does not go through all the back muscles along the spine, but instead in the abdomen behind all the organs. There is an air space around all of that and the mass of organs is suspended with mesentary attachments. Perhaps that is why it is "less invasive" because of not going through back muscle. With minimally invasive procedures, I think the surgeon is operating through a tube that is inserted. The surgeon then has a limited view as opposed to an open surgery where the surgeon can see better, and a lot of surgery cannot be done this way. Decompression is a general term and could describe a lot of different procedures. Your laminectomy was a decompression that removed pressure on the nerve roots. There are pros and cons to the procedures and there may be a reason that one is preferred over another. The less invasive the surgery, typically, the less trauma and an "easier" recovery. Of course, recovery after major surgery takes a while and is different for everyone and I wouldn't call it easy. Every patient is different with different spine issues. Surgeons prefer some procedures over others, so we can't really compare our situation to someone else. It does help to understand from listening to other patients.

You're right that inserting rods is not minimally invasive. The surgeon has to be able to see the spine to do that and to shape the rods in the right contours for your body. I think the answer of which procedure is best and why has to come from your surgeon. It all depends on the surgical path and how they have to access the damaged area, and how much is damaged. Perhaps make a list of questions to ask at your next appointment. Good for you for asking questions and advocating for yourself.

Jennifer