subject: Endoscopic Spine Surgery [print this page] Endoscopic Spine Surgery Endoscopic Spine Surgery
An endoscopic spine surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that is used to treat chronic back pain. By using an endoscope; a flexible or rigid tube that has a fiber optic light and a lens system that allows the doctor to see inside the body; you can decrease the size of the incision needed and less medication may be used during the surgery itself. By doing this you prevent a lot of damage that might have otherwise happened to the muscles and tissues of the back during an open back surgery and is also much safer for older patients; this is helpful because it leads to shorter recovery times and less rehabilitation and is a viable option for those who may not be a good candidate for open back surgery.
Listed below are a few endoscopic back surgeries:
Transforaminal Micro Decompression
This surgery is used to treat those who suffer from foraminal stenosis. During this surgery the foraminal canal is enlarged to relieve pressure on exiting nerves. Your foraminal canals are holes on each side of your vertebra that allow the nerves to branch out from the spine and travel out to other areas in the body. These are very small openings to begin with so it does not take much to block them.
To enlarge these opening your surgeon may need to remove bone spurs, herniated disc material, or thickened ligaments. An endoscope is an invaluable tool that allows the surgeon to accurately visualize the exiting nerve to avoid damaging it in any way.
Microdiscectomy
A minimally invasive version of a Laminotomy; it is performed using a local or spinal anesthesia and can be done on an outpatient basis. This surgery is used to remove any herniated disc material that may be compressing the nerves, surrounding tissue, or the spinal cord itself.
MED (Micro Endoscopic Decompression)
This surgery is used on those who have Spinal Stenosis; it is performed using an endoscope or a microscope depending on the surgeons' preference. Your surgeon would remove any debris such as bone spurs, thickened ligaments, inflamed tissues, bulging disc material, or joint cysts that may be causing the spinal spaces to narrow. This narrowing of the spaces can negatively impact the nerves and spinal cord.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Discectomy
This surgical procedure can be performed to remove herniated or bulging disc material that has compressed or pinched the nerves in the spine. This is a very short surgery, oftentimes lasting less than an hour and is very beneficial to the elderly or patients already in poor health where using a traditional surgery that requires general anesthesia is to risky.
Radio Frequency Nerve Ablation
Vary similar to laser facet ablation, this surgery makes use of radio waves to heat up the nerve endings to the point where they no longer function. By having this procedure done you can "turn" the nerves off so that they can no longer send pain signals to the brain. The one downside to this and laser nerve ablation is, that sometimes these nerves will re-grow after a few months and your pain will return.
