Endoscopic Spine Surgery (Unlitarel Biportal Endoscopy)

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What is Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery?

Unilateral Biportal Endoscopy (UBE) is an arthroscopic approach to the spine. All procedures performed in open surgery with a microscope can be performed with this method (closed) through only two 1 cm holes. The UBE technique provides a much less traumatic surgery opportunity by using advanced imaging systems that provide 30 times tissue magnification. Endoscopic spine surgeries allow to minimize the damage that may occur in the surrounding tissues, muscles and skin by only intervening in the damaged area.

Which for Conditions is Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery Used?

  • Waist, back, neck hernias
  • waist slips
  • Some tumors (Tumors that metastasize to the spine)
  • fractures
  • Waist, neck, dorsal spinal canal stenosis
  • Some scoliosis surgeries (UBE is used in congenital childhood scoliosis.)
  • In scoliosis of the lumbar region
  • Revision Spine surgery (Recurrent open surgery revision surgeries of lumbar hernias)

Who Can Be Applied to Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery?

Endoscopic (closed) spine surgery can be applied in all spinal diseases, except for large fractures and large humpbacks. It is a frequently preferred method especially in lumbar hernia, back hernia, neck hernia, neck, back and lumbar spine canal stenosis.

How is Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery Performed?

Before endoscopic (closed) spine surgery, the patient can be given general anesthesia, local anesthesia and spinal anesthesia. All the details of the surgical procedure are shown in the animation video we prepared on how the closed spine surgery is performed.

What are the Advantages of Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery?

  • The less damage a surgical method is performed, the more successful it is considered. Operations performed with the endoscopic method, on the other hand, provide the opportunity to intervene by enlarging the tissue, since the surgical openings are small. The endoscopic foraminal approach causes less anatomical damage, especially in hernias that occur inside or outside the "foramen" groove, where the nerve leaves the spinal canal. Therefore, the endoscopic (closed) method should be preferred as a priority.
  • In addition to these, endoscopic spine surgeries also provide advantages in the treatment of diseases of the back spine. Because in classical methods, the patient experiences severe pain during the cutting of the rib cage. Again, with these methods, no matter how small the cut, the patient will still suffer from pain. However, in the endoscopic method, two to four holes are made in the side-lying patient (depending on the type of need for intervention in the chest). The surgical procedure is performed by looking at the screen through the channels placed in the body through these holes.
  • The complication rate after endoscopic spine surgeries is low. Although the recurrence rate is the same as with other methods, the risk of complications in the new surgery is less. Therefore, even if recurrence occurs in endoscopic surgeries, the complication risk of the second surgery is almost non-existent. In addition, the endoscopic method can be used safely in patients who relapse after open surgery or microsurgery.

What is the Difference Between Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery and Other Treatments?

Intensive technological techniques are used in current treatment methods and closed method. In traditional treatment, innocent tissues are damaged due to surgery.

Rehabilitation and Recovery After Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery

Rehabilitation can be performed after open surgery and microsurgery-related operations. However, since it is possible to return to daily life faster, there is usually no need for serious rehabilitation processes.

Is Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery Safe?

Endoscopic (closed) spine surgery is safer than other methods for the following reasons:

  • It provides the surgeon with a better field of view.
  • In this method, the patient does not bleed.
  • In this method, natural tissues are not damaged.
  • The risk of inadequate surgery in the early period is low, as the learning curve (the time doctors learn to operate) is long.

What are the Risks of Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery?

As with any surgery, endoscopic spine surgeries also carry some risks. Although very low compared to other surgeries, these risks still cannot be ignored. To list the main ones:

  • Nerve damage
  • Spinal cord damage (spinal cord)
  • Infection
  • Muscle spasms
  • Numbness in the leg and arm
  • Risk of rupture of the spinal cord

What is the Success Rate in Endoscopic (Closed) Spine Surgery?

Disc surgery 92%, stenosis (duct stenosis) surgery 98%, endoscopic stabilization (closed screwing) 96% success.