Surgeons can utilize this minimally invasive spine Fusion procedure to treat diseases including spinal stenosis (spinal narrowing), foraminal stenosis (spinal narrowing), disc degeneration, disc herniations (disc bulges), and facet syndrome (facial pain).
Endoscopic Spine Fusion: How does it work?
Disk pressure is relieved by removing the degenerative and extruded sections of the Disc's nucleus by a tiny incision. Thanks to the scope camera, the surgeon may see the spine's contents on a screen in front of them when the endoscope is inserted into the spine. Anesthesia and conscious sedation are used during the Fusion. On the same day of operation, the patient can be mobilized. Patient hospitalization can last anywhere from two to three days, depending on the patient's progress in recovery. "Targeted Fragmentectomy" means only the diseased piece of the Disc is removed, and normal ligaments, muscle groups, and vertebrae are unharmed; hence recovery is much faster than in open or microscopic decompression procedures. Suitable for those who are eager to get back to work early. If you are elderly or diabetic, you may not be able to undergo open spine Fusion because of this treatment. Because it's a bloodless procedure, no blood transfusion is required.
Patients recover swiftly with only an 8 to 10 mm incision on their back from a herniated disc Fusion since no bones or tissues are removed or sliced. To expedite the healing process and allow the body to resume normal motion without experiencing any pain, some patients are prescribed a specific amount of time of physiotherapy.
How come Endoscopic Spine Fusion is the preferred method?
Age is the most crucial factor to consider when treating back pain in the elderly. Diabetes, high blood pressure, or a heart ailment is among the most common medical disorders among the elderly. An open-back Fusion raises the risk of infection, blood loss, life-threatening complications, or the need for repeated follow-up appointments.When a surgeon recommends Fusion for a herniated disc, it is strongly advised that patients undergo an endoscopic operation due to reduced tissue exposure and aesthetic reasons.As a result, physicians recommend endoscopic spine Fusion to patients of all ages to reduce the chance of problems.
Endoscopic spinal Fusion's advantages
Unlike traditional Fusion, endoscopic Fusion results in minor injury to the surrounding spinal tissues. Rather than cutting or ripping the muscles during the Fusion, the surgeon makes a skin incision and separates them to create a narrow passage for the endoscope to fit through. Traditional muscle retraction during open spine Fusion results in muscular injury and weakening, which is reduced with this approach.
There is less need for general anesthesia with endoscopic Fusion since it is less invasive, which reduces some medical concerns and makes Fusion more accessible to those with higher levels of risk. There is also less blood loss, infection is less of a problem, and most treatments can be completed on the same day as an outpatient Fusion. Additionally, the less invasive procedure reduces postoperative discomfort, causes quicker recovery, and less need for postoperative narcotics. After endoscopic spine Fusion, most patients don't need narcotic pain medication.
How is minimally invasive spine Fusion different from endoscopic spine Fusion?
An endoscopy is the most minimally invasive method of spine Fusion, which is the standard of care in spine Fusion. Both endoscopic and MIS microdiscectomy surgeries help relieve back discomfort.
On the other hand, endoscopic spine Fusion dramatically decreases the patient's muscle and soft tissue stress, resulting in a speedier recovery time. Unlike MIS, Endoscopic Fusion avoids the lower back's key supporting muscles, which is why it's used in this technique.ESS uses a 14-inch incision rather than the 1-inch or more MIS incision. Patient results can be considerably improved with smaller surgical incisions and avoidance of crucial back muscle groups.
It's considered ultra-minimally invasive because the endoscopic procedure allows the surgeon to see better and reach the spinal nerves and discs more efficiently. Additionally, because ESS does not require general anesthesia, patients have fewer risks and can leave the hospital in as little as 2-3 hours after Fusion.
Is ESS Right for You?
Various common spinal problems can be treated using endoscopic spine Fusion. Facet arthropathy, sciatica, and spinal stenosis are all examples of mild to severe disc herniation. The initial step in many cases isn't spine Fusion, although it's an option. Before spine Fusion, including ESS, non-surgical treatment (e.g., spinal injections, physical therapy) is often suggested.
An ESS Surgeon is what I need
Finding a specific spine specialist in your area may seem daunting. Health care providers, such as your primary care physician, are a wonderful place to begin. Before deciding on spine Fusion, your doctors have likely treated you with non-surgical treatment. A board-certified spine surgeon, fellowship-trained, should always perform the recommended surgical procedure and regularly perform it.
Endoscopic spine Fusion is a new surgical approach that could be called revolutionary because of advances in technology and technique. A new generation of patients with persistent back and neck pain may benefit from this extreme kind of minimally invasive Fusion in the hands of a qualified and experienced spine surgeon.