The advantages of endoscopic surgery and other minimally invasive surgical techniques make these the choice of both patients and surgeons. Faster, safer procedures are just the beginning. As a patient, you have less healthy tissue damage when compared with traditional open surgeries. That means less pain, fewer complications, and fast recovery.
When it comes to endoscopic spine surgery (ESS), the advantages are enormous. Sanjay Khurana, MD, specializes in ESS, treating spinal stenosis or herniated discs. Without the need to cut through thick, strong back muscles to access the area, the focus of the surgery remains on the spinal problem and not the tissue around it.
Every surgery has risks and recovery times, and ESS is no different. Though your experience may be a breeze compared to open surgery, your recovery plays a role in the overall success of the procedure. Here’s what to expect when you’re recovering from ESS.
Endoscopic techniques for spine surgery virtually eliminate the need for a hospital stay. Typically, you have an outpatient procedure, in and out on the same day, and recovery at home. The size of incisions required for traditional open surgery make hospital stays necessary. These are large wounds requiring intensive care until they start to heal.
You need only a few half-inch incisions for an ESS procedure. Depending on the needs of your case, you might have one incision for the endoscope and others for the instruments, but sometimes all the work is done through one incision. The surgery takes between 30 minutes and two hours, depending on the nature of your procedure.
As with any surgery, you can expect discomfort after surgical anesthetics wear off. The minimal nature of ESS means a reduced pain experience, but you still have some irritation, aches, and pain. You may not need prescription pain medications to manage these, so you can often avoid side effects. Typically, hot and cold compresses combined with over-the-counter anti-inflammatories take care of post-surgical pain.
Open surgery often requires bed rest because of large incisions. That’s not a factor with ESS. You can, within reason, return to your regular life. You’ll likely want to rest the day of surgery, but you can sleep in any comfortable position in most cases. Dr. Khurana usually encourages being on your feet after surgery. Mobility helps your body heal.
Typically, it takes about six weeks to recover fully, but every patient has a unique response, so you may recover faster or need more time. While Dr. Khurana encourages you to resume daily life, he discusses any restrictions necessary for your case, including when you can continue activities like exercise, lifting, or other physical exertion. It usually depends on which surgery you have.
When you know what to expect, you can make informed choices about your spine surgery. Set up your consultation with Dr. Khurana today by calling directly or using the online booking tool. You can make an appointment at one of our offices in Manhattan Beach or Marina Del Rey, California.
