The latest technology of minimally invasive surgery for lumbar disc herniation

Lumbar disc herniation is the most common disease causing low back pain, and in severe cases, it can cause lower extremity sensory loss, muscle strength loss, muscle atrophy, urinary and bowel dysfunction or paralysis. The direct factor leading to low back pain is the irritation and compression of nerve roots by the herniated/prolapsed nucleus pulposus tissue, and the most effective minimally invasive technique is to remove the prolapsed nucleus pulposus tissue directly through the intervertebral foramen. In 1997, Dr. Hoogland invented the THESSYS technique, which was the first to place an endoscope into the spinal canal to remove the herniated nucleus pulposus under direct visualization, greatly improving the efficacy of lumbar disc herniation, which is comparable to the traditional posterior laminectomy (or MED technique), but with significantly less surgical trauma. technique, he invented the maxMorespine technique, which made the operation of intervertebral foraminoscopy safer and easier, reduced surgical complications, and improved surgical outcomes (two-year follow-up, excellent rate of 95%). Our spine surgery department introduced this technology in February 2014 and has now successfully carried out the treatment of various types of lumbar disc herniation. Most patients can be discharged 2 days after surgery and can return to normal work 2-4 weeks after surgery. The key and primary step in foraminoscopy is foraminoplasty. The core of the maxMorespine technique is the change from the previous use of an annular saw to enlarge the foramen (with the risk of nerve and dural injury) to the use of a safety annular drill, which makes foraminoplasty safer and greatly reduces the difficulty of the procedure. In addition, the invention of the Tom shidi needle allows for precise removal of the supraspinatus, making foraminal enlargement easier and broadening the surgical indications for patients with all types of lumbar disc herniation. The maxMorespine technique has the following advantages in addition to those of other endoscopic procedures: – It is suitable for all types of lumbar disc herniations – It allows safe access to the L5-S1 plane of the spinal canal without damaging the dura and nerve roots – It allows direct removal of the prolapsed nucleus pulposus through the intervertebral foraminal approach safer surgery with a much lower incidence of medical nerve and dural injury – lower failure rate and recurrence rate – no additional damage to the annulus fibrosus – adequate decompression of the intervertebral foramen