Keyhole surgeries to treat back pain

There is no denying the fact that low back pain has become a common problem, thanks to the changing lifestyle that comes with an increase in desk job and decrease in physical activity.

According to a 2005 paper, published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 37 per cent of low back pain cases reported across the globe are ascribed to occupational risk factors.

Experts point out that due to prolonged sitting and working at desks in front of monitors, people tend to strain their backs beyond natural capacity, thereby leading to back pain, more commonly in the lower back. The exertion leads to several medical
conditions, starting from mild ones like muscle sprain to as severe as slipped disc or spondylolisthesis. 

With a spurt in the number of cases, spine surgeries have become a common phenomenon. But are they really important? And, are they major surgeries? “There are more than 200 different kinds of surgeries for spine-related problems,” ainforms Dr Puneet Girdhar, consultant, Spine BLK Centre for Orthopaedics, Joint
Reconstruction and Spine Surgery. 

“Not every patient has to go through a surgery. We suggest operation only when medication and physiotherapy fails,” says Girdhar, while mentioning about the most common problem –Disc Prolapse. “Prolonged sitting, lifting heavy weight or some
genetic disorder, causes disc prolapse. The second most common case is of instability which leads to abnormal movement of bones in spine. It affects neck and
back badly.”

“Therefore, we prefer surgeries like disc replacement or spinal fusion,” he adds.
Dr Manoj Miglani, orthopaedic surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj is of the opinion that conditions where the problem of ‘herniated disc’ persists even after prolong medication, Minimal Access Spine Treatments (MAST) can be a good alternative. “MAST potentially allows surgeons to successfully treat back pain and deformity with the least amount of interruption while achieving the same surgical objectives as open surgeries,” says Miglani.

Considering the fact that comparatively younger people, who are involved in desk jobs, are prone to such conditions, identification and treatment becomes even more crucial to restore their productivity and normal physical activity.

Explains Dr Miglani, “MAST can be done by making two or three small insertions and the patient can return to normal-life routine post-recovery as there is decreased muscle trauma, less intra-operative blood loss, and shorter hospital stays.” Notably, MAST can be through mini-open procedure (operating through a small incision) to treat all areas of the spine.

In some MAST approaches, also called “keyhole surgeries,” surgeons use a tiny endoscope with a camera on the end, which is inserted through a small incision in the skin. The camera provides surgeons with an inside view, enabling surgical access to the affected area of the spine.