Back pain has a way of creeping into everything: sleep, work, the drive home, even bending down to tie your shoes. When a slipped disc or a narrowed canal is pressing on a nerve, and months of medicines and physiotherapy haven't helped, surgery becomes part of the conversation.
Endoscopic spine surgery is one way of doing that surgery. A thin camera and fine instruments go in through a cut of about a centimetre, and only the part pressing on the nerve is removed. It suits some spine problems very well and others not at all, which is why the choice comes after the diagnosis, not before.
The aim isn't the smallest cut. It's the right operation for the problem in front of you.
Dr. Gaurav Sharma goes through your symptoms, examination and MRI before suggesting anything. If an endoscopic operation makes sense, you will know what it involves, how long recovery usually takes and what the alternatives are.
Dr. Sharma's spine work covers decompression, fusion, deformity correction and minimally invasive surgery, as well as endoscopic procedures.
Having all of these options means the operation can be chosen to fit the patient, instead of every patient being fitted to one technique.
An endoscope is a thin tube with a camera and a light at its tip. In spine surgery it is passed through a small opening to the exact spot where a nerve is being squeezed, and the surgeon works through a channel inside it while watching on a screen. Because the back muscles are moved aside rather than cut, many patients have less pain after surgery and are on their feet sooner.
It is most often used for a slipped disc in the lower back and for some types of spinal stenosis. If the spine is unstable, badly curved or needs screws, other approaches usually work better.
The MRI is only part of the picture. What matters is whether the findings match your symptoms, how long the problem has lasted, whether there is any weakness, and how you have responded to treatment so far. Plenty of people with a disc bulge on their MRI never need an operation.
The most common reason for endoscopic spine surgery is a slipped (prolapsed) disc pressing on a nerve, usually at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 level in the lower back. This is what causes sciatica: pain running from the back or buttock down the leg, sometimes with numbness or weakness. In an endoscopic discectomy, a thin tube with a camera is passed through a small cut, and only the piece of disc pressing on the nerve is removed.
It is not the first step. Most disc problems are treated first with medicines, physiotherapy and time. Surgery is discussed when pain does not settle over several weeks, when weakness is increasing, or straight away if there are warning signs such as loss of bladder or bowel control.
| Endoscopic (keyhole) | Open (conventional) | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin cut | About 1 cm | Usually a few centimetres |
| Back muscles | Moved aside, not cut | More muscle needs to be lifted off the bone |
| Hospital stay | Often short | Usually longer |
| Suited for | Selected disc prolapse and stenosis cases | A wider range, including instability and deformity |
The right choice depends on the problem in your spine, not on the size of the cut. Some conditions are better treated with open or minimally invasive fusion surgery.
In some patients, yes. After certain endoscopic procedures, patients walk the same day and may go home the next day. Others need to stay longer. It depends on the procedure, the patient's age and general health, and is decided case by case.
Most patients are helped to walk within hours of surgery. Desk-based work can often be resumed in about two weeks, while jobs involving lifting or long drives need more time. For the first few weeks, avoid bending forward, lifting heavy weights and sitting for long stretches. A physiotherapist will show you exercises to strengthen your back. Your exact timeline will be given at discharge.
The cost depends on the level and number of discs treated, the type of endoscopic procedure, the hospital stay and any implants or tests required. A clear estimate is shared after the consultation and MRI review.
No. 'Laser spine surgery' is a term often used in advertising. Endoscopic surgery uses a camera and fine instruments to remove the disc fragment pressing on the nerve; a laser, if used at all, plays only a small role.
Most patients are helped to walk the same day or the next morning. You will be guided on sitting, bending and lifting before you go home.
Yes, a small number of patients have a recurrence at the same level. Keeping your back muscles strong, maintaining a healthy weight and lifting correctly lowers the chance.
That depends on your MRI and symptoms. Disc prolapse and some types of spinal stenosis are often suitable; spinal instability or deformity usually needs a different approach.
Start with your family physician. If the pain is severe, keeps coming back, or there is numbness or weakness in the leg, you should be assessed by a spine surgeon: a neurosurgeon or an orthopaedic spine surgeon.
