Endoscopic discectomy: the emerging new gold standard surgical treatment of disc prolapse

A disc prolapse in the lower back causing nerve root compression can lead to severe pain radiating down the legs, sometimes associated with weakness of leg muscles and numbness. Although majority of the patients recover well with medication and rest, about 10 to 15 percent of them may need a surgical treatment for pain relief and to ensure good recovery of nerve function. Microscope assisted discectomy has been the gold standard treatment procedure for such patients for many decades.

Endoscopic discectomy is a relatively new procedure in which the prolapsed disc fragment is removed through an endoscope introduced into the spinal canal through a keyhole of 7mm to 9mm size on the back. It involves much less muscle damage and no bone removal as compared to the conventional microscope assisted discectomy. It is usually done under local anaesthesia and has a quicker recovery time. The immediate postoperative pain is much lesser that the conventional disc surgery.

Endoscopic disc surgery basically provides us with an option to achieve the same results as the existing gold standard treatment, but with muscles less muscle damage and lesser recovery time. It is being adopted by more and more spine surgeons all over India now and appears to be emerging as a new gold standard treatment for disc prolapse.

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Dr Phani Kiran S

Experience and Professionalism

With years of experience in spine surgery, Dr Phani Kiran S, Senior Consultant Spine Surgeon will assess you and suggest the treatment option that is right for you.

We at Medspine clinics, understand the importance of educating all our patients about the spinal problems and the most effective ways to take care of their spine.