The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
Minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS)
An alternative surgical procedure to open spinal surgery that targets conditions within the spine through the use of keyhole surgery.
About MISS
Thoracoscopy, laparoscopically and endoscopic are all terms used to describe a range of minimally invasive approaches to spinal surgery.
Your consultant may recommend minimally invasive spinal surgery if they think you could benefit from a minimally invasive procedure rather than open surgery.
Depending on the condition being treated, MISS may only require a cut of approximately two to five centimetres on your back. This can help to reduce pain after surgery and speed up your recovery.
Need to know
Before your operation, your surgeon will talk to you about which procedure is most suitable for you. Our experienced spinal consultants use the latest surgical techniques and most advanced technology to help minimise damage to muscles, ligaments and soft tissues.
Your procedure will be done under a general anaesthetic.
Your consultant will explain the procedure to you and answer any questions you may have. They will let you know what you need to do to prepare, including how long you may need to avoid eating and drinking beforehand.
Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you.
Depending on your specific procedure, you are likely to remain in hospital for between one day and a week. This will depend on your general fitness level and the type of operation you've had.
Our dedicated rehabilitation team will help you throughout your recovery, and your consultant will let you know when you can get back to your usual routine, including work or exercise.
Paying for medical treatment
You don't need medical insurance to have fast access to our top consultants, extensive range of treatments, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures at our world-class facilities.
Our Minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) locations
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.