As with all sectors of Western Medicine, endoscopic spine surgery is constantly evolving. As we treat people with this method, we learn more.
It’s not that we need to learn more about existing technology. We’ve got that nailed (for now). We need to learn more about patient response and how endoscopic spine surgery can add increasing value to patient care and to the institutions and personnel delivering it.
A little history
The three words most resonant in the history of endoscopic spine surgery are an inspiration, invention, and innovation, according to a 2016 article in Neurosurgical Focus magazine. Each word represents a phase in the evolution of ESS.
Inspiration led early developers of this method to find a way to approach herniations in the lumbar disc in a less invasive way than existed at the time.
This led to the invention phase, in which Dr. Parvis Kambin treated pathology in the discs via a corridor to be named for him, using the newly-developed endoscope. Here, we arrive at the innovation period of ESS’s evolution, developed over 50 years.
With the right knowledge and tools, so many spinal conditions can now be treated by endoscopic spine surgery. As the technological sector burgeons, the medical community re-discovers itself in new ways to treat and cure the human body. So, where are we now?
Tailoring care to the patient
Everywhere, medical practitioners are restoring the old paradigm of personalized care for their patients. Again, the growth of knowledge and science has gifted us with a deeper understanding of the biological individuality of human bodies.
We’re all built on the same model, but the way we’re put together, our body chemistries and other key factors make us unique. One size does not fit all.
With new tools like the foraminal epidural gram, MRIs become informed by additional information which can shift the interpretation of imaging diagnostics and support more accuracy at diagnosis.
This is just one way in which doctors are more able to tailor care to the patient in the diagnostic and evaluation stage, ensuring that ESS is the right fit for the patient and the most effective response to the challenge faced.
The future
Every future has a foundation and in the case of ESS, it’s the re-institution of finely-tailored, patient-centered care. This aspect of the evolution of endoscopic spine surgery is one driving its practice forward.
The future holds great promise for this technology, as there’s a growing demand for it because of its accuracy and sober consideration of patient surgical trauma (greatly mitigated with ESS). While it’s a challenging method to master, it’s clear that more spine surgeons will become proficient, making ESS more available and accessible.
Those surgeons who practice endoscopic spine surgery at the highest level will never want for patients. Patients will benefit from a medical market rich in spine surgeons who are proficient and leading the evolution of endoscopic spine surgery.
If you’d like to know more about endoscopic spine surgery and whether it’s an appropriate response to your spinal condition, contact us.