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Overview
The major cause of back pain can be attributed to a herniated disc or bulging disc which applies pressure on the nerve root or even on the spinal cord. Normally, conventional treatments will help deal with the pain however there are times when conventional treatments will not work and other methods must be used. One such procedure is called a Percutaneous Endoscopic Discectomy.
What is Percutaneous Endoscopic Discectomy
Percutaneous Endoscopic Discectomy is a minimally invasive procedure performed by a surgeon involving the use of X-Ray and fibre optics. This allows the surgeon to view the procedure via a screen to ensure an increased success rate. General anaesthesia is not required; therefore the procedure can be performed in an outpatient setting. The procedure normally takes between forty five minutes to an hour. This allows the patient to be released in approximately two to three hours after the procedure has been completed.
The percutaneous endoscopic discectomy involves a local anaesthetic and a small incision. A small tube is inserted into the skin through the incision and into the herniated disc space. The tube allows the surgeon to use various tools such as the laser, camera, suction and other instruments. Because the tube pushes the muscle out of the way and the muscle is not cut as it would be in a conventional surgery, there is very little scar tissue with this procedure. Once the tube is in place, the surgeon uses the laser to shrink the disc and suction to remove any fragments. Often pain relief will be felt as soon as the pressure is removed from the nerve root or the spinal cord. Once the procedure is completed, the tube is removed and a band aid is placed over the incision. The incision is very small, normally the size of a small mole or a freckle, therefore stitches are not necessary.
Once the two to three hour monitoring phase is complete, the physician will allow the patient to leave as long as they are accompanied by someone. The physician will also encourage the patient to go for a walk the same day the procedure has been completed and return the following day for a post-op examination.
The risk of complications from a percutaneous endoscopic discectomy are drastically reduced in comparison to conventional surgery as there is less blood loss, scarring, infection and anaesthesia use because there is no traumatic back muscle dissection, no bone removal or large skin incision.