Endoscopic

An endoscopic surgical procedure is one that involves the use of an endoscope – a long, thin tube with a light and camera attached at the end. This allows the surgeon to insert small instruments through the tube to perform the surgery while viewing the procedure on a large monitor.

Benefits of Endoscopic Procedures

Endoscopic procedures have been around for decades but have grown in popularity in recent years. This is because they offer a number of impressive benefits over traditional surgical procedures, such as:

• Smaller incisions - Unlike traditional surgeries, endoscopic procedures can be performed without the need of a large incision. Often, an incision of an inch or less in length is all that is needed.
• Faster recovery – Since a much smaller incision causes less trauma to your soft tissues, this type of procedure typically requires a much shorter recuperation period than a massively invasive traditional surgery.
• Less scarring – A natural result of the smaller incision.
• Fewer risks – With a smaller incision, there is a decreased chance of infection and other complications often associated with traditional procedures.

Use in Spinal Surgery

Recently, endoscopic procedures have gained favor in treating a number of degenerative spine conditions. The use of an endoscope is a safe and effective alternative to traditional open back surgery that offers patients excellent chances at reducing their symptoms while simultaneously avoiding many of the risks and long recovery periods associated with open back surgeries. Often, conservative, nonsurgical treatments are very effective in managing the pain and other symptoms associated with spinal conditions, but talk with your doctor to learn more about surgical options if this type of treatment fails to provide you with relief.