Issues like degenerative disc disease, herniated discs or spinal stenosis can make you feel like a prisoner to your pain, unable to do the things you once loved.
But at the Hoag Spine Institute, our compassionate, patient-focused team of specialists, imaging experts and spinal surgeons are ready to provide relief from your pain and help you get back to enjoying life.
We are committed to utilizing the latest non-surgical techniques to reduce back pain and stiffness. But if more conservative approaches don’t fix the issue, Hoag’s fellowship trained surgeons in Orange County offer advanced, minimally invasive surgical procedures, including endoscopic spine surgery, which delivers less pain, reduced scarring and shorter recovery times.
Read on for what you need to know from Hoag about minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery, including what it is, how it’s performed and the conditions it can be used to treat.
For a surgical consultation or second opinion, contact Hoag today at 949-688-0404 or through our online form.
Endoscopic spine surgery is a form of minimally invasive spine surgery in which the procedure is completed through a small, 1/4-inch incision in the body using a special instrument called an endoscope.
An endoscope is a long, thin device with a camera and a light at the tip. The device can also be fitted with miniature surgical instruments. The endoscope is often passed through an expandable metal tube called a tubular retractor, which holds muscles and tissues out of the way so surgeons can access the spine without causing unnecessary damage.
By viewing an image created by the endoscope’s camera on a high-definition monitor outside the body, a spinal surgeon can use the endoscope’s on-board tools to perform delicate operations involving the spine, including removing bone spurs or a herniated (bulging) discs that may be causing back pain.
Endoscopic spine surgery is considered minimally invasive because it requires less “invasion” of a patient’s body through a larger incision to complete the surgery. Performed through a small incision with special instruments called endoscopes, the procedure doesn’t require long, hard-to-heal incisions through the skin and underlying tissues to reach the spinal column.
An alternative to traditional spine surgery and “open” surgical procedures, endoscopic spine surgery is often preferred because it offers benefits like shorter recovery time, reduced risk of infection, less tissue damage, less pain and shorter hospital stays.
Like many forms of minimally invasive spine surgery, endoscopic spine surgery is a very flexible technique that can be used to treat a variety of spinal disorders and spine conditions that can cause back pain or nerve dysfunction.
Whether or not you’re a good candidate for endoscopic spine surgery depends on several factors, including the symptoms you’re experiencing, the degree to which those symptoms are impacting your ability to function, your overall health and other factors.
That said, because of the lower risk of blood loss, smaller incisions and faster recovery time offered by minimally invasive procedures, endoscopic spine surgery can often be utilized in cases where a person is too sick or frail to tolerate traditional open surgery.
For those who are good candidates for the procedure, spinal conditions that can potentially be treated using endoscopic spine surgery include:
Degenerative disc disease, which is a condition characterized by a gradual wearing down and stiffening of the spinal discs as a person ages. Degenerative disc disease can be worsened by issues like damage to surrounding tissues, repetitive strain, obesity, improper lifting or bending, sports injuries or accidents and falls.
Disc herniation, also called a herniated disc, is a condition in which a diseased or damaged disc begins to bulge, potentially causing pain by irritating or pressing on the nearby spinal cord or nerve roots. Herniated discs can be treated through endoscopic discectomy (sometimes spelled “diskectomy”), a procedure in which the protruding portion of a herniated disc is removed, or the disc is removed entirely and replaced by an artificial disc.
Spinal stenosis, a condition in which the bony tube inside the spinal cord runs becomes abnormally narrowed by issues like bone spurs and begins pressing on or irritating the spinal cord or nerves. Lumbar spinal stenosis affects the lower back (lumbar spine), while cervical spinal stenosis affects the neck (cervical spine).
Spinal instability, which can be corrected through endoscopic spinal fusion. Spinal fusion is a procedure in which surgeons use medical hardware to permanently join an unstable vertebra to a more stable one.
Spinal fractures
Congenital spinal deformities
Traumatic injuries to the vertebrae, soft tissues or spinal column.
Spinal tumors
Visit here to find a spine pain specialist in Southern California at Hoag.
Minimally invasive techniques like endoscopic spine surgery have become the preferred method for surgically treating a wide range of conditions that can impact the body, from cardiovascular issues to pain in the cervical or lumbar spine caused by herniated discs.
Because minimally invasive spine surgery techniques do not require opening the body with a long incision to access the affected area of the spine, endoscopic spine surgery offers a wide range of benefits for patients.
These include:
Performed through a small incision, usually only about 1/4-inch long.
Less pain after surgery.
Shorter recovery time, far less downtime from work and a faster return to normal activities.
Less risk of post-surgical infection.
Less blood loss during the procedure.
Minimally invasive spine surgery can often be performed on an outpatient basis, with no overnight hospital stay.
Reduced risk of complications.
Less visible scarring after surgery.
Less damage to muscles and soft tissues, which means recovery may not require physical therapy.
You’ve only got one spine. It’s the main support for your body, providing tough, resilient protection for the spinal cord and the roots of the delicate network of nerves your body uses to function.
When the spinal column and surrounding tissues are healthy, the spine is a miracle of biology, giving our bodies the strength and flexibility they need to work, move and meet life’s challenges. But when an issue like a herniated disc, stenosis of the spine or a compressed nerve strikes, the pain can be intense. It can feel inescapable.
Suffering from a spine problem like back pain in Southern California and can’t find relief? Then you need Hoag to help you heal. The Hoag Spine Institute offers state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment options for conditions that can cause painful dysfunction in the spine, including the neck and lower back.
We have a program-wide dedication to conservative approaches and minimally invasive procedures like endoscopic spine surgery, to help patients find the relief they need with shorter recovery times, less pain, reduced blood loss and minimal scarring.
Need a spine specialist in Orange County? Hoag has the expertise you need. With our unified team of spinal experts in your corner, you’re ready to go the distance and heal from back pain. So don’t wait. Contact the Hoag Spine Institute today for a surgical consultation or second opinion by calling 949-764-1411 or through our online form.