Patients to get relief from chronic back pain

New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) A new invasive endoscopic disc surgery without anaesthesia is reported to offer relief for patients who suffer from chronic neck and back pain and do not want to undergo agonising operations.

In an International Conference, 'Endospine 2007', organised by Jaipur Golden Hospital in the city yesterday, spine surgeons from various countries including US, Germany and Korea came to inform about the new techniques for the management of backache.

Around 100 surgeons from all across the country and from neighbouring nations took part in the conference. The modern technique would involve passing 4-6 milimetre endoscope tube with a camera fitted in the front. This would help the doctors to identify and cure the offending structure without undergoing any major surgery and under local anesthesia.

During the operation, only one stitch could be given and a bandaid was enough for the dressing. According to the doctors this new system had marked the '' golden standard'' for the treatment of spine diseases. The Conference would last for one more day where in the skilled surgeons would carry out operations involving this new technique that would be shown to the participants by the process of remote learning.

Dr Gun Choi of Korea who was the founder of this 'minimally invasive surgery' was also present on the occasion and said safety was the essence of this new system which could be used not only for slip disc patients but also for people suffering from lower back pain and cervical and for several other disorders relating to spine.

''Gone are those days when spine surgery was considered major with serious complications like paralysis,'' he observed.

Dr Manoj Sharma of Jaipur Golden Hospital noted that the result of this surgery was amazing as the patient was awake during the surgery and could see it on the monitor and feel the relief in his back.

Explaining about the high cost of this surgery, he said though the clinical cost was Rs 15,000 more but the patient could resume his work within days.

UNI