Epiduroscopic Laser Neural Decompression in Lumbar pain

---

Andrea Sinagra

University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

: J Spine Neurosurg

Abstract

---

Statement of the problem: ELND has replaced conventional epiduroscopy in the treatment of herniated disc, spinal stenosis, failed back surgery syndrome and other conditions producing refractory low back pain. Laser therapy is a new tool in epiduroscopic approaches providing safe and efficient dissection, cauterization and decompression. Methodology and theoretical orientation: 253 patients underwent ELND in the period from august 2016 to march 2021 to treat several conditions producing intractable lumbar pain. Trans sacral epiduroscopy was the chosen approach. We used a flexible endoscope and a diode laser fiber of 980-nm /30 W. VAS was used to measure pain improvement. Findings: Average VAS fell to 1.3 from 9.6 for radicular pain and to 3.2 for lumbar pain at 2 weeks after the procedure and persisted at a year after the procedure. The conditions found were disc extrusions, adhesions and fibrosis, facet cysts and ligamental hypertrophy. Conclusion and significance: ELND is an effective and safe novel treatment of conditions producing intractable back pain, providing better outcomes due to improved cauterization and dissection and allowing ambulatory treatment with quick return to previous activities. Recent publications 1. Gun Choi et al. Epiduroscopic Assisted Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: A Technical Report. J Neurol Disord 2016, 4:7 DOI: 10.4172/2329-6895.1000306 2. Kallewaard, Jan et al. Epiduroscopy for Patients with Lumbosacral Radicular Pain. Pain Practice 2013 Vol 1 DOI: 10.1111/papr.12104 3. Mert Akbas et al. One-year evaluation of epiduroscopy in chronic back pain with and without radiculopathy: a retrospective study. The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery (2020) 56:4 DOI: 10.1186/s41983-019-0142-3

Biography

---

Andrea Sinagra is a Neurosurgeon specialized in endoscopic and minimally invasive surgery of spine and cranial base. She graduated from the University of Buenos Aires in 1990 and is the Co-founder of the Endoscopy Lab in Anatomy Department UBA. She is a Resident and Chief Resident Hospital Fernández (1991-1996) and has Postgraduate specialization in Endoscopy in Hospital Clinic Barcelona.