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Both involve endoscopy, but different types of endoscopes are used.
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Traditionally, spinal surgery involved making an incision in the back near the treatment site. However, due to limited visibility into the treatment area, a larger incision was necessary to improve visualization. This resulted in trauma to unrelated areas, leading to a longer recovery period and an increased risk of infection.
Therefore, surgical techniques have evolved to include cameras, improving visualization of the treatment area and reducing the size of the surgical incision. This, however, requires increased expertise and skill from the surgeon.
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Having reached this point, many of you are probably wondering how many types and styles of laparoscopic surgery there are. Today, we will answer this question and explain the differences between laparoscopic surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
Back pain caused by spinal diseases such as herniated discs, slipped discs, or bulging discs can lead to numbness in the arms and legs, or sometimes severe pain that renders the person unable to do anything.
When researching various treatment options or trying different approaches, you might sometimes reach the point where surgery is necessary. You'll often hear phrases like "laparoscopic surgery is good and safe." However, laparoscopic surgery involves different instruments and requires varying levels of surgical expertise. Therefore, it's essential to understand the basics beforehand to make an informed decision about the treatment.
Microscope
A microscope, or camera, is a device with a typical magnification of 20-100x in surgical areas. While the viewing is still through the microscope from the outside, it is sufficient to allow the surgeon to see pathological details more clearly.
As a result, surgical incisions, which in the past involved large, high-risk openings, have been reduced to small sizes of 3-5 centimeters, making them much safer.
Although it is endoscopic surgery, the surgical procedure still involves the same methods: making an incision, dissecting the muscles, or possibly removing part of the spine to reach the point of nerve compression. Therefore, patients need to stay in the hospital for approximately 3-4 days.
Micro-endoscope
Laparoscopic surgery is an advancement in minimizing patient trauma. The incision is reduced to 2 centimeters, and a tube is inserted close to the treatment site. The procedure is then viewed under a microscope. This method leads to more effective treatment and, importantly, reduces the incision and dissection of the back muscles, resulting in faster patient recovery.
Both endoscopic surgical methods mentioned have limitations, as the doctor must view through the camera from outside the patient's body. Many doctors still wonder if it would be ideal if we could see inside the human body with our own eyes. Therefore, endoscopes were developed to meet this need and provide a more advanced surgical experience.
Endoscope
An endoscope is a small tube, about 5 millimeters in diameter, containing a special light-guiding system to aid vision. It also has openings for inserting instruments, such as lasers or other specialized medical devices, to easily access and treat the affected area. Because the camera is visible through the end of the device, the incision is very small, minimizing trauma and the risk of infection. This results in faster post-operative recovery, with patients often able to return home within 24 hours.
The endoscopes currently in use are:
- PELD (Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy)
It is currently used in patient treatment, but for optimal results, it is necessary to have experienced physicians who are familiar with using advanced equipment to achieve good treatment outcomes and minimize complications.
- PSLD (Percutaneous Stenoscopic Lumbar Decompression)
In Thailand, this technology is not yet widely used in current treatments due to a shortage of personnel specializing in its use. There are very few doctors with expertise in this field. Therefore, it is crucial for doctors to continuously develop their skills and pursue further education to keep pace with the technology.
PSLD (Post-Lumbar Spinal Lance Lance) is a endoscopic procedure performed to treat lumbar spinal stenosis.
The best treatment is to prevent illness by taking care of yourself. However, if illness is unavoidable, treating the root cause and receiving expert diagnosis is extremely beneficial. Therefore, researching information thoroughly can greatly help in making informed decisions about treatment.
With best wishes from S Spine Hospital, a specialized spine hospital.
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