What is endoscopic laser spine surgery?
Endoscopic laser spine surgery is a minimally invasive spine procedure. The skin is generally cut less than 10 mm and the muscle is split with dull dilators. During the surgery, surgeons place small tubes on to the diseased area in the spine using modern percutaneous techniques; they utilize needles, guidance wires, and dilators under precision X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy). The tubes range from 4 mm to 8 mm in diameters. The smaller ones are used in the cervical and thoracic spine and the larger ones are used in the lumbar spine. The tubes function as tunnels for the endoscope, a tool that provides channels for light, irrigation, and micro instruments such as lasers and graspers.
