Not every condition — or every patient — is a fit for an endoscopic approach. Whether it's the right option for you is determined individually, based on your imaging and history.
Pain, stiffness, or nerve symptoms in the neck and arms — often from a cervical disc or narrowing pressing on a nerve. In appropriately selected patients, this can be addressed endoscopically, avoiding a larger open approach.
Persistent pain in the lower back, with or without pain radiating into the leg, from a disc, narrowed nerve space, or degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Treatment is targeted to the specific level and cause identified on your imaging.
When the soft cushion between your spinal bones pushes out and presses on a nearby nerve, causing back pain or pain that radiates into an arm or leg. Endoscopic surgery removes just the piece that's causing the problem through a single small opening, leaving the rest of the disc and surrounding tissue undisturbed.
Pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels down the leg or arm — usually from a nerve being pinched or irritated where it exits the spine. Treatment targets the specific level and side causing your symptoms.
A narrowing of the space around the spinal cord or nerves — often from bone, ligament, or disc changes that happen with age — that puts pressure on the nerves. In appropriately selected patients, this can be relieved endoscopically.
A fluid-filled cyst arising from an arthritic facet joint that can press on a nearby nerve, causing back or leg pain similar to a herniated disc. Endoscopic decompression can often remove it with minimal disruption to the surrounding joint.
When symptoms come back after an earlier surgery, endoscopic surgery can often address it with less disruption to scar tissue than a second open procedure. This is a common reason other spine surgeons refer patients for endoscopic consideration.
Accesses the disc from the side, through the natural foramen. Most often used for disc herniations, sometimes lateral recess stenosis. Often done under local anesthesia with sedation.
Accesses the spine from directly behind. Used for disc herniations, lumbar spinal stenosis, and facet cysts, and well suited to certain disc locations, particularly L5-S1. Often done under epidural anesthesia with sedation at our practice, though general anesthesia is also an option.
A single-sided approach that decompresses both sides of the spinal canal in stenosis cases, without a separate incision or approach on the opposite side.
Targets the small nerve carrying pain signals from an arthritic facet joint, rather than the disc.
Widens a narrowed nerve exit point in the neck from behind, without removing the disc.
Removes disc material pressing on a nerve in the neck, through a small posterior opening.
This is not an exhaustive list. The right procedure — if any — depends on your specific imaging and symptoms.