The advantage of lateral access to the spine with endoscopic spine surgery is that only a ¼ inch incision is made and the large muscles of the middle of your back are spared resulting in less recovery time.

Endoscopic spine surgery is one of the least invasive procedures used to treat herniated, protruded, extruded, bulging discs and disc tears that compress or irritate the spinal nerves causing back or leg pain. Patients suffering from painful spinal conditions should consider all less invasive options like pain management and endoscopic procedures before ever considering traditional, open, or minimally invasive spine techniques including laminectomy, microdiscectomy, or spinal fusion. Proper diagnosis and diagnostic injections are essential for the endoscopic physician to pinpoint the cause of the pain and selectively address the painful condition without causing the patient significant post-operative pain or delay in recovery.

How to Operate a Endoscopy Surgery

Endoscopic discectomy is performed as an outpatient surgical procedure. Under local anesthesia and x-ray fluoroscopy, a needle, guidewire, and blunt dilator are placed through the ¼ inch skin incision through the muscle of the back, between the vertebrae and into the herniated disc. A 7 mm metal tube is placed over the dilator to create access to the disc. An innovative working channel endoscope is coupled with an HD video camera to enhance visualization for the physician. Through the endoscope, small custom designed microscopic instruments are then sent down the hollow center of the endoscope to remove a portion of the offending disc.

The average procedure takes about an hour, and x-ray exposure is minimal. The patient will typically feel little, if any, pain or discomfort. There are no stitches. Upon completion, the probe is removed and a small Band-Aid is placed over the incision. The amount of nucleus disc tissue removed varies, but the supporting structure of the disc is not affected by the surgery.

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7mm Skin Incision reduces post-surgical pain and recoveryThe Endoscopic Advantages vs. Traditional Open Spinal Surgery:Endoscopic Discectomy is different from open lumbar disc surgery because there is no traumatic back muscle dissection, no bone removal, or large skin incision. The risk of complications from scarring, blood loss, infection, and anesthesia that may occur with conventional surgery are drastically reduced or eliminated with this procedure. Endoscopic discectomy was invented to be an effective treatment for herniated discs while avoiding these risks.

Endoscopic spine surgery has been found to be as effective as or more effective than traditional open spinal surgery. In many clinical studies, endoscopic spine surgery techniques were superior to traditional open spine surgery when comparing recovery times and pain medication needed post surgery. Typically, recovery takes a few days or weeks versus traditional surgery with recovery times of months or even years.

HD camera and endoscope affords the physician a superior view to that of traditional techniques¼ inch – the smallest incision in spine surgery Little to no scar tissue, because there is no tissue or muscle tearingConscious sedation reduces the risk associated with general anesthesiaLess post-operative pain and need for narcotic medicineLess recovery time neededReturn to work and life soonerWhat Types of Conditions do Endoscopic Surgery Treat?Arthritis and Bone Spurs of the SpineBulging DiscDiscogenic Back PainHerniated DiscFailed Back SurgeryForaminal Stenosis (Narrowing of the Spinal Canal)SciaticaRadiculitis or RadiculopathySpondylolisthesis (slipping of the Vertebra)

Types of Endoscopic Procedures

Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy – treats bulging, protruded, and extruded herniated discs. The physician uses an HD camera and endoscope to visualize and decompress the herniated disc to relieve the pressure on the affected spinal nerve.Endoscopic Foraminalplasty – treats facet disease, foraminal and lateral recess stenosis. Over time, the space between the facets and the disc can diminish and the foramen (natural opening for the spinal and exiting nerves) becomes narrow and begins to compress the nerves. The endoscopic technique uses ronguers, reamers and small-motorized burrs to selectively take some bone in order to enlarge the foramen, thus decompressing the nerves.

Endoscopic Nucleoplasty – treats patients suffering from severe back pain associated with micro tears in the disc’s outer annular wall. When these tears happen, the epidural space can be irritated and small nerves begin to innervate the annulus and cause back pain. The endoscopic technique goes inside the disc with a 7mm cannula and uses an HD camera to look for tears and leaks in the disc’s annulus. With a radiofrequency or laser probe the physician can ablate the nerve endings and seal the tear, thus providing significant pain relief for the patient.

Endoscopic Rhizotomy – treats patients suffering from chronic back pain and spasms. When patients lean forward they are symptom-free, but leaning backwards causes significant pain and spasms. Patients who have received some temporary relief from percutaneous radiofrequency ablation, but the pain but had recurrent pain are good candidates for endoscopic rhizotomy. This procedure allows the physician to place a small cannula and an HD camera coupled to an endoscope inside the patients back to visually target the medial branch nerve. A radiofrequency probe is used through the endoscope to ablate the medial branch nerve. The results of endoscopic rhizotomy have been significantly better long-term than traditional percutaneous rhizotomy.

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