Spine surgery corrects spinal disorders such as stenosis, spondylolisthesis and misalignment. Specifically, Endoscopic Spine Surgery treats people with various conditions. The type of surgery depends on the needs of the patient.
The spine is a complex system of bones, joints, and tissues. That protects the spinal cord and nerves. There can be many reasons for having spine surgery.
Various reasons to go for this surgery:
- Treatment and removal of spongy bone (osteophyte) and disc material that has narrowed the spinal canal or nerve root
- Removal of tumors from the vertebrae and bone around the spinal cord
- Repairing fractures in the neck bones
- Reconstructive surgery to correct birth defects, and injuries to the neck or backbones
- Reconstruction of damaged vertebral joints with artificial implants
- Spinal fusion to prevent motion between vertebrae
I’m Dr. Karthikeyan Maharajan. I am a spine surgeon and specialize in complex spinal deformity corrections. I have been practicing for the past 10 years and have a fantastic success rate for this type of surgery.
MISS is a less invasive surgery, where surgeons use small incisions to access the spine. Patient’s bone and tissue is not cut open. Thus, there is minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. Read our Complete Guide to Spine Surgery to understand problems and recovery associated with it.
What conditions does Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery treat?
This is a minimally invasive procedure for the spine. It can be used to treat a variety of conditions including,
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Disc Herniation, Tear or Rupture
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Scoliosis
So, these are the conditions of ESS Surgery. Now, let’s talk about how ESS procedure works.
How Does the Full ESS Procedure Work?
Now let’s talk about how does the full ESS procedure works. So, to avoid pain, during the surgery you will be given a local anesthesia. Once numbed, a cut is made near to the herniated disc, and through muscle tissue in your back.
A tiny tube will be inserted next to the incision. Then, surgeons will be able to access the disc with a metal tube that is 1/4 inch wide. An HD camera is inserted which allows for a clear view of any herniated discs. This lets the surgeon make an evaluation of what areas need to be removed.
The measurement and therapy of the problem are performed through an endoscope. Tears in the annular zone of the disc are cleaned and treated with a laser to eliminate the painful nerves.
The laser is used to shrink the tears and close any herniated discs while preserving the back’s natural disc function. The metal tube is removed and afterward, your surgeon will close the incision.
Benefits of the Surgery
- More accurate
- Less invasive
- Less blood loss
- Faster recovery time
- Better range of motion in the spine
- Less risk of infection in the spine
- Less scarring in the back and neck area
- Better protection of the spinal cord and nerves
What are the risks associated with this surgery?
Now let’s talk about what are risks. After that, I’ll tell you what is the recovery time for Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery. It is possible to have long-term complications from the surgery such as chronic pain. The risks are dependent on the severity of one’s condition.
The risks include:
- An infection could lead to sepsis
- Nerve damage/ nerve injury due to an improper or prolonged procedure
- Difficulty breathing due to nerve compression
- Bleeding, infection, and reactions to anesthesia
It is also very important that you choose the best spine surgeon for the surgery to minimise the risks.
What is the recovery time for Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery?
If you are considering undergoing surgery for spinal stenosis, make sure you know the recovery time. The full recovery period for this surgery is about six weeks.
You can expect to be in bed or in a recliner for at least two weeks after surgery. Then gradually, transition to your regular activities over the course of four weeks.
Safety precaution to take after Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Safety is a most important part. A few safety precautions make a patient’s life much easier after Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery.
- The first step is to rest and avoid hard activities
- Constipation can be avoided by drinking enough liquids and consuming fiber-rich meals
- Finally, regular checkups with the doctor are critical
Other precautions are:
- Avoid picking anything heavy
- keeping your back straight
- Wear back braces for some time
- Have physical therapy to strengthen muscles around the treatments
Above all, it keeps you healthy. The future of back pain treatment will be built on endoscopic spine surgery. It’s also called microscopic spine surgery. This new procedure will allow surgeons to remove bone spurs.
It is done without damaging nerve endings or soft tissue that covers the spinal cord. Full endoscopic surgery is an attractive option for patients who need their surgery done on their spine.
As it is less invasive than traditional surgery methods. It also allows the patient to recover quicker because there are no large incisions on their back.
So in this post we talk about ESS conditions, its work procedure, and then most importantly we discussed ESS benefits. We also discussed about associated risks, recovery time and safety precautions.
If you liked this post, please share it on your social media. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about Spine Surgery. You can contact us at SPMM Hospital, in case you have any questions about Spine Surgery. You can also book an online consultation today!