The concept of minimally invasive surgery refers to the set of surgical techniques that minimize aggression on healthy tissues to treat a given pathology. The present and future of spine surgery must be based on this type of intervention.
The techniques of tubular microendoscopy and endoscopy for the surgical treatment of disc herniation and lumbar spinal canal stenosis are techniques that make it possible to treat very serious pathologies.
These techniques make it possible to treat very frequent pathologies with an important socio-economic impact in a very non-aggressive manner, with less postoperative pain and allowing patients to recover quickly and return to their normal activities. In both cases, tubular dilators are used to separate the muscle fibers, without sectioning or damaging them, creating a minimal working channel through which to treat the pathology presented by the patient, whether it is a herniated disc, a canal stenosis or a combination of both.
In the case of tubular microendoscopy, the tube or working channel (of variable size depending on the surgery to be performed) is fixed to the surgical table by means of an articulated arm in the position required in each case, which can be corrected or reoriented during the procedure if necessary. The use of the microscope allows working through the tubular channel, amplifying the illumination and the image.
On the other hand, in spinal endoscopy we introduce a camera and the different surgical instruments through a small working channel of about 8 mm. Recently, exoscopes have made it possible to integrate 3D augmented reality into interventions with tubular working channels, increasing their performance by combining the virtues of microsurgery and endoscopy.
What factors determine whether a patient can undergo this surgery?
This type of intervention makes it possible to treat practically any pathology of the spine in a precise and safe manner. When necessary, they can be combined with dynamic stabilization techniques (preservation of movement) or fusion (fixation of the spine).
Currently, minimally invasive techniques are the mainstay of spine surgery. Traditional open surgery should be limited to very specific indications.
Do you agree that endoscopic surgery is the best treatment for spinal injuries?
Minimally invasive techniques should be considered as the current quality standards in spine surgery. Both endoscopy and microendoscopy with tubular retractors, combined when necessary with stabilization techniques (dynamic or fusion), make it possible to treat most spinal problems, transforming complex interventions into minimal aggressions that maximize tissue preservation.
Therefore, we can say that they bring great benefits in most cases compared to traditional surgeries.
5 benefits of minimally invasive surgery
- Precision and safety.
- Smaller incisions and maximum tissue preservation, causing minimal damage to the musculature, ligaments and bony structures of the spine.
- Decreased postoperative pain.
- Shorter hospital stays.
- Faster return to patients’ usual activities.