Everything You Need to Know About Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Spinal problems are amongst the most common ones worldwide. While some experience pain or numbness due to age, in others, it could be the individual’s lifestyle to blame. In many other cases, spinal conditions may be associated with neurological problems. If you’ve been suffering from spinal issues and want to treat them, you may choose endoscopic spine surgery.
Endoscopic spinal surgery is a minimally invasive surgery. It is an advanced procedure that involves making a small incision in the spine. Endoscope spine surgery can benefit in many ways and help treat various spinal conditions. So, let’s delve more into endoscopic spine surgery in this blog, exploring its procedure, benefits, risks, etc.
What is Endoscopic Spine Surgery?
Endoscopic spine surgery uses micro-sized incisions (often less than an inch), tiny tubular systems, and an endoscope (a tube with a small and advanced camera lens and a light source that the surgeons insert in the spine through the incision) to see the surgical region and treat it appropriately.
How is Endoscopic Spine Surgery Done?
During surgery, surgeons make an incision and separate the muscles to make way for the endoscope to reach the spine. The images that the endoscopic camera relays are shown on a monitor, allowing the surgeon to see the anatomy and pathology. After that, surgeons insert instruments through the channel to remove herniated discs, thickened ligaments, or faulty bone spurs. Once the procedure is complete, the surgeons remove the instruments and close the incision with sutures.
Conditions Endoscopic Spine Surgery Can Treat
While the suitability of endoscopic spine surgery varies from person to person, it can usually treat the following conditions.
- Degenerative Disc Disease: It refers to numerous changes in the spinal disc with time or due to an injury to the intervertebral spinal disc in the spine. The condition is also a common cause of neck pain, back pain, and sciatica.
- Herniated Disc: Herniated disc involves problems with one of the rubbery cushions called discs situated between the bones stacked to form the spine.
- Spinal Stenosis: It refers to a very condensed space inside the backbone. The condition can stress the spinal cord and nerves passing through the spine. Spinal stenosis usually occurs in the lower back and neck region.
Benefits of Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Endoscopic spine surgery benefits in various ways, including the following.
- Quicker Recovery: Endoscopic spine surgery has a shorter recovery time than its traditional counterpart. The latter can result in significant tissue trauma. However, endoscopic spine surgery causes little to no tissue trauma. Based on how you respond to the treatment, you would be allowed to return home and resume regular activities after a short post-surgery stay in the hospital.
- Lower Infection Risk: The procedure refers to a lower infection risk, as it requires making only a tiny incision and doesn’t involve placing any implants or foreign objects in the patient’s body.
- Minimally Invasive: The tiny incision that surgeons do during the procedure refers to less tissue damage, pain, and scarring.
Risks Associated with Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Every surgery has some potential risks associated with it. Endoscopic spine surgery isn’t an exception. Some potential risks include bleeding, infection, and nerve damage. As a patient looking to undergo endoscopic surgery, you should discuss the possible generic and specific risks to make informed decisions and prepare accordingly.
Undergoing endoscopic spine surgery requires you to have experienced surgeons and a hospital that uses the latest and most appropriate surgical infrastructure. At Ranka Hospital, we serve both parameters. Our expertise in various surgical techniques, experience treating various complex spinal cases, and unparalleled success rate speak about our credibility as a healthcare provider. Call us at +91 – 20 – 24261530 to book an appointment with our doctors and engage in a detailed consultation.
