#Product Trends
IKEDA - Using endoscopic spine (foraminoscopic) techniques
Spinal endoscopy is one of the minimally invasive spinal techniques that have been extensively used in clinical practice since the rapid development of minimally invasive technology.
By minimizing trauma to the spine, minimally invasive spine surgery is able to achieve excellent treatment results. A transforaminal or an interlaminar approach is the most effective spinal endoscopic treatment for lumbar disc herniation, depending on the patient's physical condition. It is far from being a matter of small incisions and aesthetics, as foraminoscopy uses natural anatomical space to create a working channel to relieve nerve compression in comparison to traditional open surgery. By removing the lesion and fully decompressing it, the procedure can achieve satisfactory results.
What is an intervertebral foraminoscopy?
Simply put, intervertebral foraminoscopy is a water-based endoscopic technique that has been widely used in joint therapy. By making a 0.7cm incision on the surface of the body, a 7.1mm diameter channel is placed onto the surface of the herniated disc and the herniated disc is removed by grasping forceps, freeing the compressed nerve roots and relieving the symptoms of back and leg pain. The lumbar foraminoscopy technique is the most mature endoscopic technique for the spine. It is divided into posterior and lateral approaches, which are less invasive than traditional open surgery, with almost negligible surgical bleeding, and can be discharged the day after surgery and within three days.
How does intervertebral foraminoscopy compare with open surgery?
"Minimally invasive" foraminoscopic surgery removes only the herniated disc and part of the degenerating disc, leaving the relatively normal disc intact. Open surgery removes the entire disc, which results in the loss of the connecting structures between the vertebrae and requires metal fixation. Both surgical approaches are the standard of care for lumbar disc herniation
In terms of surgical efficacy, both methods are equally effective, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Compared to open surgery, foraminoscopy has the following advantages.
1. Wide range of indications: it can treat almost all types of disc herniation, foraminal stenosis, spinal stenosis, post-operative revision and spinal tuberculosis, with similar results to open surgery.
2、Small trauma: no need to destroy the paravertebral muscles and ligaments, no need to bite off the vertebral plate, no impact on the stability of the spine; the technique can clearly observe the spinal canal and nerves, but will not cause interference with them, and will not form a scar at the posterior important structures, completely does not affect the remedial surgery after failure, the surgical incision is only 0.7cm, in line with the aesthetic point of view.
3, high safety: the surgery is completed under local anesthesia, can interact with the patient, does not hurt the nerves and blood vessels, minimal intraoperative bleeding, clear vision, greatly reducing the risk of misuse.
4、Simple post-operative care: only oral antibiotics are needed, and the recovery time is short.
5、Easy to extend to minimally invasive way to deal with bony lesions and fusion surgery.
6、Low cost of use, no need for built-in materials; improve the quality of surgery while reducing the financial burden on patients.
7、The technology platform can be extended to cervical spine endoscopic treatment of common cervical spine diseases such as disc herniation, osteophytes and hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum.
