Laser Surgery
Laser surgery is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. I wanted to create a page that explains the reason for that. Many people suffer from symptoms that are now available to be treated by this amazing new laser technology. I will pin point some of these keys symptoms that can be treated. I will then go into the technology of the laser and why it is such an amazing addition to the technology world. It truly has taken a procedure such as a herniated disc that would take about 6-8 months to fully heal from the surgery to about 3 hours of recovery after the laser surgery. I want to explain and show why that is the case. I have suffered from having a herniated disc and the effects that it had on me. When I learned about this technology it absolutely amazed me to think that all of that pain and the issues that came with it could go away after a short 30 minute procedure. I think that it is an incredible technology that will truly change the way of life and the quality of life for people. It doesn't matter what age you are, it can help you if you suffer from these things.
(image by Jeffords)
Laser spine surgery is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. New innovative technologies have allowed doctors such as Orthopedic Spine Surgeons, Neurosurgeons, and Pain Management Specialists to work together in order to help this new technology to flourish(Spine-Health). It is their main hope to diminish or eliminate spine-related back and neck pain. In this paper I would like to discuss what the symptoms are that they can treat, the new technology that has been adapted to these procedures, and the vastly improved recovery time that patients enjoy after they get the operation performed. One doctor in this field once quoted an old saying,” If all you have is a hammer, then every problem is a nail”(North pg.3). They want to eliminate this saying and help each patient to feel valued and know that their specific problem will be taken care of in the best way possible.
The main symptoms that are treated with this new technology are any form of back and neck pain that is being caused by an issue with the discs in your spine. They focus in on eliminating the radiating pain that occurs in the arms and legs are a result from an issue with the spine. They also can fix any of the weakness and numbness that radiates in the arms, legs, hands, and feet. The main goal is to be able to help you live a normal life, if you have any kind of back and neck pain then they are able to look at it and most likely can help to resolve the issue. Some of the main injuries that they can heal is any pinched nerves, anything to do with the sciatica, herniated and bulged discs, and many more symptoms that are just like those that were mentioned. They want to be able to help with any pain that you may be experiencing.
This was probably my favorite thing to learn about that has to do with this subject. The new technology that has come out to allow these new innovative procedures is absolutely incredible. In the surgery what they will do is use an endoscopic fiber optic needle that will go into your back or neck into a tiny incision that they cut. Through the direct vision of the surgeon, he will then direct a pin point accurate laser into the fiber optic needle directly to the problem area and will shrink the disc or shave the disc depending on the injury or issue. The doctor using a method called Fleuroscopy which converts the x-ray images that the monitor is receiving and transmits them into video images on the screen (Laserspine). This technology absolutely is incredible to think about. They can literally go into the body with a tiny incision that is hardly able to be seen, and then they can aim a pin point accurate laser to fix a tiny disc in your spine. Years ago, doctors would have thought that a surgery such as this could never be possible because of how sensitive the spinal area is. They would have claimed that a procedure such as this would paralyze the person. It is absolutely incredible to think that our technology has been able to come along far enough that we can do a precision surgery like spinal surgery.
The cover for a spinal surgery has been greatly improved and enhanced through this new laser technology. One patient, named Larry, put it perfectly when he explained,” I got up from the surgery and I only saw one drop of blood that was on the sheets”. To think that only a single drop of blood was lost during this life changing surgery is absolutely mind boggling. This surgery allows for patients to receive immediate relief once the surgery is over. That same patient is also discharged that exact day. Once the patient has gone home to rest that day, the next day they are able to do light activities and continue on with their day to day normal lifestyles. The surgery has also been improved to only take about 30-45 minutes from start to finish. Just a few years ago, this same operation would take a few hours to complete and the recovery time, with therapy, would take about 6-8 months. You can see just by those two facts that the recovery has been greatly improved.
I think back to the quote at the beginning of this article about the hammer and nails. This new way to perform spinal surgery is able to take a person at an individual basis and cater to their needs. It is no longer a one trick procedure for your neck, upper back, and lower back. I am amazed by the way that this new technology has vastly changed this operation and improved it.
Citations:
1- "North American Spine". North American Spine. 16/02/2017. Pages: 3,8-9
2- http://jeffords.resurgens.com//assets/img/interior/endoscopic-spine-surgery.jpg
3- NorthAmericanSpine.com/Laserspine
4- www.spine-health.com
Laser surgery is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. I wanted to create a page that explains the reason for that. Many people suffer from symptoms that are now available to be treated by this amazing new laser technology. I will pin point some of these keys symptoms that can be treated. I will then go into the technology of the laser and why it is such an amazing addition to the technology world. It truly has taken a procedure such as a herniated disc that would take about 6-8 months to fully heal from the surgery to about 3 hours of recovery after the laser surgery. I want to explain and show why that is the case. I have suffered from having a herniated disc and the effects that it had on me. When I learned about this technology it absolutely amazed me to think that all of that pain and the issues that came with it could go away after a short 30 minute procedure. I think that it is an incredible technology that will truly change the way of life and the quality of life for people. It doesn't matter what age you are, it can help you if you suffer from these things.
(image by Jeffords)
Laser spine surgery is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. New innovative technologies have allowed doctors such as Orthopedic Spine Surgeons, Neurosurgeons, and Pain Management Specialists to work together in order to help this new technology to flourish(Spine-Health). It is their main hope to diminish or eliminate spine-related back and neck pain. In this paper I would like to discuss what the symptoms are that they can treat, the new technology that has been adapted to these procedures, and the vastly improved recovery time that patients enjoy after they get the operation performed. One doctor in this field once quoted an old saying,” If all you have is a hammer, then every problem is a nail”(North pg.3). They want to eliminate this saying and help each patient to feel valued and know that their specific problem will be taken care of in the best way possible.
The main symptoms that are treated with this new technology are any form of back and neck pain that is being caused by an issue with the discs in your spine. They focus in on eliminating the radiating pain that occurs in the arms and legs are a result from an issue with the spine. They also can fix any of the weakness and numbness that radiates in the arms, legs, hands, and feet. The main goal is to be able to help you live a normal life, if you have any kind of back and neck pain then they are able to look at it and most likely can help to resolve the issue. Some of the main injuries that they can heal is any pinched nerves, anything to do with the sciatica, herniated and bulged discs, and many more symptoms that are just like those that were mentioned. They want to be able to help with any pain that you may be experiencing.
This was probably my favorite thing to learn about that has to do with this subject. The new technology that has come out to allow these new innovative procedures is absolutely incredible. In the surgery what they will do is use an endoscopic fiber optic needle that will go into your back or neck into a tiny incision that they cut. Through the direct vision of the surgeon, he will then direct a pin point accurate laser into the fiber optic needle directly to the problem area and will shrink the disc or shave the disc depending on the injury or issue. The doctor using a method called Fleuroscopy which converts the x-ray images that the monitor is receiving and transmits them into video images on the screen (Laserspine). This technology absolutely is incredible to think about. They can literally go into the body with a tiny incision that is hardly able to be seen, and then they can aim a pin point accurate laser to fix a tiny disc in your spine. Years ago, doctors would have thought that a surgery such as this could never be possible because of how sensitive the spinal area is. They would have claimed that a procedure such as this would paralyze the person. It is absolutely incredible to think that our technology has been able to come along far enough that we can do a precision surgery like spinal surgery.
The cover for a spinal surgery has been greatly improved and enhanced through this new laser technology. One patient, named Larry, put it perfectly when he explained,” I got up from the surgery and I only saw one drop of blood that was on the sheets”. To think that only a single drop of blood was lost during this life changing surgery is absolutely mind boggling. This surgery allows for patients to receive immediate relief once the surgery is over. That same patient is also discharged that exact day. Once the patient has gone home to rest that day, the next day they are able to do light activities and continue on with their day to day normal lifestyles. The surgery has also been improved to only take about 30-45 minutes from start to finish. Just a few years ago, this same operation would take a few hours to complete and the recovery time, with therapy, would take about 6-8 months. You can see just by those two facts that the recovery has been greatly improved.
I think back to the quote at the beginning of this article about the hammer and nails. This new way to perform spinal surgery is able to take a person at an individual basis and cater to their needs. It is no longer a one trick procedure for your neck, upper back, and lower back. I am amazed by the way that this new technology has vastly changed this operation and improved it.
Citations:
1- "North American Spine". North American Spine. 16/02/2017. Pages: 3,8-9
2- http://jeffords.resurgens.com//assets/img/interior/endoscopic-spine-surgery.jpg
3- NorthAmericanSpine.com/Laserspine
4- www.spine-health.com