Endoscopic spine surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses specialized cameras and instruments to treat certain spinal conditions through very small incisions. The procedure allows surgeons to visualize and treat spinal pathology while minimizing disruption of surrounding muscles and tissues.
WHY WE DO NOT CURRENTLY OFFER THIS SURGERY
We believe that endoscopic approaches to spine surgery are very promising, however, there are significant downsides.
- Even in very experienced hands, endoscopic spine surgeries often take 2-3 times longer than comparable minimally invasive procedures.
- The technology has a steep learning curve.
- There is an additional cost to the hospital in healthcare system.
We believe for most applications, standard minimally invasive approaches provide approximately equivalent outcomes when considering post-op pain, blood loss and recovery time. Incisions are somewhat smaller with endoscopic spine surgery, but the standard minimally invasive incisions are also very small.
There are instances where we believe endoscopic approaches are advantageous. In particular, endoscopic approaches to central thoracic disc herniations can avoid large open surgeries. Endoscopic thoracic discectomy is challenging, and should only be performed by very experienced endoscopic surgeons.
We have colleagues in the community that are experts in endoscopic spine surgery. If this is something you are interested in, please let us know, we are happy to help arrange a second opinion.