Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Endoscopic spine surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to treat various spinal conditions. It involves the use of an endoscope, a thin tube with a light and camera attached to it, which allows the surgeon to visualize and access the affected area of the spine through small incisions.

During endoscopic spine surgery, the surgeon makes one or more small incisions, typically less than an inch in length, near the area being treated. The endoscope is then inserted through one of these incisions, providing a clear view of the spinal structures on a monitor. Additional small incisions may be made to introduce specialized surgical instruments, such as lasers or tiny surgical instruments, to perform the necessary procedures.

Endoscopic spine surgery can be used for various spinal conditions, including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, spinal tumors, and spinal deformities. Some common procedures performed using endoscopic techniques include:

• Discectomy: The surgeon removes a portion of a herniated or bulging disc that may be pressing on a nerve and causing pain or other symptoms.
• Foraminotomy: This procedure involves widening the foramen, the opening through which the spinal nerve exits the spinal canal, to relieve nerve compression.
• Facet joint surgery: The surgeon may use endoscopic techniques to treat facet joint arthritis or perform a facet rhizotomy to alleviate facet joint-related pain.
• Decompression procedures: Endoscopic techniques can be used to remove bone spurs, ligaments, or other tissues that may be compressing the spinal cord or nerves.

The benefits of endoscopic spine surgery include smaller incisions, reduced muscle damage, less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, and potentially lower risk of complications compared to traditional open surgery.