manual is just the resource you need. It will prove invaluable as a quick reference in daily practice or simply as a refresher when confronting a difficult clinical problem. This fully illustrated fundamental guide focuses on procedures and techniques that require minimal exposure. Presented in a concise and readable format, this text delivers the basics for those new to minimally invasive surgery as well as pointers and tips for more advanced surgeons. It is destined to become a favorite with all students of spine surgery.Composed of 11 chapters, this practical manual begins with the true foundation of minimally invasive surgery—imaging. Safe and effective surgery performed through minimal exposures demands a thorough mind’s-eye understanding of anatomy without visualization. Moreover, it requires a keen ability to mentally translate two-dimensional imaging into three-dimensional anatomy. Next, the most common techniques of cannulation are covered in a logical step-by-step fashion, just as it is taught in the operating room. Minimally invasive options for pedicle screw placement are completed with a chapter describing the mini-open technique. The second half of this book focuses on fusion and pedicle screw insertion. Finally, this handbook does not ignore the endpoint of all these techniques—achieving successful fusion. Techniques to enhance the success of this outcome are discussed in Chapter 9, whereas potential complications and methods to avoid them are outlined in Chapter 8. Each chapter concludes with "Surgical Pearls and Pitfalls," which provide summaries of the salient points discussed in the chapter.