Michael Glover, MD, is an Arizona-based spine surgeon that performs endoscopic spine surgeries.
A board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon, Dr. Glover discussed the potential of endoscopic spine surgery in a Flagstaff Business News article.
Dr. Glover makes a less than 0.5-inch incision in a patient's spine to insert a tube to create a safe working channel for the endoscope. "This type of visualization allows for images from 'inside' the spine to be seen by the surgeon as they show [up] on a large screen," Dr. Glover said. "The endoscope also serves to host the specialized instruments to work on the problem area causing the nerve pain."
Patient selection is important for endoscopic spine surgery. "Endoscopic spine surgery is the ideal surgery for the right patient with sciatic-like leg pain due to disc herniations, or other problems that compress nerves and have not responded to nonoperative treatments."
"A typical endoscopic spine surgery is done in an outpatient surgery setting," Dr. Glover wrote in the Flagstaff Business News. "The approach is through a small opening on the side of the spine where the nerves exit and uses a small centimeter-sized skin incision… A surgeon can also approach from the back of the spine and in between the lamina."