The Endoscopic Spine Surgery Program at Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian at the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Comprehensive Spine Care offers the most advanced, least invasive option for relief of pain and repair of herniated discs and other common spine conditions. Using a specially designed endoscope – a camera mounted at the end of long, thin, flexible tube and fitted with tiny specialized tools – a neurosurgeon can now perform surgery through an incision less than a quarter of an inch long. Dr. Eric Elowitz, a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery, founded the Endoscopic Spine Surgery Program at Weill Cornell Medicine; the program now includes Dr. Ibrahim Hussain, Dr. Galal Elsayed, and Dr. Osama Kashlan, who specialize in minimally invasive techniques. Since Dr. Elowitz's retirement, our faculty members are now treating several patients each week with this new ultra-minimally invasive technique.
An endoscope consists of a long, telescoping tube with a built-in light and camera as well as a channel through which a surgeon inserts tiny tools as needed.
Among the many benefits of spinal endoscopy are:
• Since it doesn’t involve cutting into muscle, the surgery is virtually painless
• It is a same-day surgery with no overnight stay
• Closing the tiny incision requires only one or two stitches, and sometimes only a band-aid closure
• Patients can avoid fusion surgery, thereby retaining full range of movement
• Results are excellent, and most patients are pain-free afterward
To make an appointment to see if you are a candidate for endoscopic surgery, use our online form to request an appointment or email the spine center patient coordinators at comprehensivespine@med.cornell.edu
Find out more about Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian at the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Comprehensive Spine Care.
Illustration by Thom Graves, CMI
