Surgeons back themselves with innovative spinal tool
A locally-developed innovative spinal endoscopy surgical tool is enabling doctors to perform minimally invasive operations.
In a recent case, a female patient who fell and injured her back two years ago began to suffer a hunchback and continuous pain. A check found that she had a fracture on the lumbar vertebra. Since she didn't receive timely treatment, the fracture had become a malformation. The healing part has hyperplasia with a "hunchback" tissue, pressing the nerves and causing pain and numbness.
She consulted several hospitals, and doctors all suggested a major surgery with a 20 to 30 centimeters cut to remove the tissue. It would have been a highly risky surgery with large blood loss.
She went to Dr He Shisheng at Shanghai 10th People's Hospital and was told a self-developed surgical tool was available for minimally invasive surgery.
Dr He Shisheng (right) with his colleagues use a self-developed minimally invasive spinal surgical tool.
"We developed the innovative tool based on our own experiences and demand during clinical practice," he said.
"The traditional spinal endoscopy accesses a small space that only allows doctors to use special equipment for simple surgery, so we spent over five years developing a V-shape bichannel spinal endoscopy instrument, the world's first such tool offering two surgical routes. The system allows doctors to carry out more complicated operations and improve patients safety and reduce surgical trauma."
Thanks to the innovative tool, the patient underwent a surgery with only several one-centimeter cuts on the body. There was less than 50 milliliters of blood loss.
The patient has recovered, and was able to walk on the fourth day after surgery.
The surgery was a success.
