Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Spine Surgery Center of CYCH Pioneers New Indication for Endoscopic Spine Decompression

Minimally invasive spine surgery is a new, more precise technique in spine surgery that has developed with the advancement of medicine. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is one such technique which removes fragmented discs or bone spurs to decompress the spine. By using advanced equipment and choosing the appropriate path, the surgery is guided by using an endoscope through natural channels in the body. The target surgery can relieve sciatica, lower back pain, and numbness of the lower limbs due to bone spurs in patients with minimal damage to muscle tissues. Compared to traditional spine surgery, the minimally invasive technique can achieve the same or better outcome with a smaller incision. The result is less trauma to the muscle and soft tissues, less pain, lower blood loss, and lower infection rate leading to a faster recovery and shorter hospital stay. PELD is indicated for the removal of various types of herniated disc and spine stenosis, or bone spurs.

A discussion about PELD is not complete without mentioning the Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Spine Surgery Center of the Orthopedics Department at Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, which is recognized by Germany's Spinendos company as a Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Spine Surgery Demonstration Center in the Asia Pacific. In a pioneering achievement, the team has applied the PELD to treat slippage spine and severe scoliosis, said Dr. Yi-Hung Huang, Director of the Center, in addition to the simple lateral recess stenosis normally indicated for the technique. Even the German expert in spine endoscopy, Dr. Ruetten, has not had experience performing such a procedure. The work has received praise from the expert judges on the Symbol of National Quality panel for its innovativeness and effectiveness.

Some of the achievements of Dr. Huang's team in minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery include a 0.8 cm incision and minimal damage to the back muscles; allowing the patient to walk 4 to 6 hours post-surgery, preventing complications by shortening the time in bed; avoiding the need for self-administered pain relief, instead using only nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for better safety; reduced blood loss, making transfusions unnecessary; and an average hospitalization period of 48 hours.

The team also actively interacts with the international community. Among the many percutaneous endoscopic spine surgery experts invited to speak from all over the world is the world-renowned Professor Stefan Hellinger from Germany. Dr. Huang has also conducted live broadcasts of difficult surgeries performed by himself, followed by discussions with endoscopy experts to share their experiences and techniques in the surgical room.

(Editing by Nicole Yang, Research Center for Biotechnology and Medicine Policy)
 

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