Endoscopic Spine Surgery: The Next Evolution of Non-Fusion Spine Treatment

Blog Summary:  

If you've been told you need spine surgery, knowing what kind of spine surgery options are that's out there, are important. But today, endoscopic spine surgery (ESS) is changing what’s possible - offering a less invasive, highly effective alternative that more patients are choosing every day. 

• Minimally Invasive, Maximum Results: Endoscopic spine surgery (ESS) uses incisions as small as 3–5 mm, avoiding muscle cutting and bone removal - unlike spinal fusion. 

• Faster Recovery, Less Pain: Patients go home the same day with little to no need for narcotic medications and minimal downtime. 

• Lower Risk of Complications: ESS is associated with significantly reduced blood loss, infection rates, and virtually no risk of wound reopening. 

• A Paradigm Shift in Spine Surgery: According to The Journal of Spine Surgery, ESS is no longer fringe—it’s a leading method for treating neck and back pain, favored for its outcomes and flexibility. 

• Preserves Your Options: ESS is tissue-sparing and doesn’t preclude future surgical interventions if needed—making it a forward-thinking choice. 

• Not Every Patient Needs Fusion: ESS is ideal for conditions like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease—but a personal evaluation is key. 

Want to Know If You’re a Candidate? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Baig at Desert Spine & Scoliosis Center in Phoenix or Mesa to explore your personalized treatment options.

There once was a time when spinal fusion was the default surgery for back problems. That time is over. Today, a number of other procedures are available, from artificial disc replacement to endoscopic spine surgery.

While you might’ve heard of endoscopic spine surgery (ESS), sometimes also colloquially called endoscopic surgery or minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery, what exactly is this revolutionary procedure? And maybe more importantly, is it here to stay? The answer to both of those questions is a definitive yes.

Endoscopic spine surgery is helping to bridge the gap between conservative treatments for back and neck pain and traditional methods of surgery, such as fusion. In this blog post, we’ll break down why that is and what you need to know about ESS.

What Differentiates Endoscopic Spine Surgery?

In previous blogs, we’ve talked about the many benefits of ESS compared to fusion and other more traditional approaches to spine surgery. But now we’d like to cover what specific factors help ESS stand apart from these other approaches.

• Incision Size: ESS is ultra-minimally-invasive, meaning incisions are just 3-5 millimeters versus 4+ inches for other methods.

• Blood Loss: ESS is associated with minimal blood loss.

• Hospital Stays: ESS allows patients to return home the same day as the procedure.

• Recovery Time: Many patients recover in a matter of days and experience no restrictions on movement.

• Infection Rate: The likelihood of getting an infection is much lower, due largely to the fact that ESS’ incisions are small.

• Wound Reopening: Larger incisions resulting from other types of surgery are prone to reopening and getting infected, requiring a second wound-cleaning surgery followed by an extended recovery time. Meanwhile, ESS is associated with little to no risk of wound reopening and infection.

• Additional surgeries- With ESS there is minimal disruption to the surrounding structures that can create spinal instability therefore reducing the likelihood of additional surgeries

  
  

Why is ESS Becoming the Gold Standard for Spine Surgery?

As noted in Ralph J. Mobbs’ editorial in The Journal of Spine Surgery entitled “The evolution and promise of endoscopic spine surgery”, endoscopic spine surgery is no longer an alternative surgery. Instead, it has begun taking on a pivotal role as a main method of surgery for both neck and back pain. Since 2020, surgeon uptake of this method has gained a ton of momentum.

But why?

According to Mobbs, this shift corresponds with broader changes in the field of orthopaedic spine surgery that prioritize less-invasive surgical methods, shorter recovery times, and reduced pain.

In other words, ESS might be becoming more popular because many of the benefits its associated with are becoming more in-demand amongst those who suffer from neck or back pain.

Advancing Technology is Expanding ESS’ Capabilities

As we mentioned in our blog post “Is Endoscopic Spine Surgery Here to Stay, and if So, Why?”, ESS incorporates a number of relatively new technologies such as 3-D and ultra-resolution visualization.

As technological developments in the medical field continue to progress, more and more use cases for ESS are likely to be discovered and implemented.

That could mean many things, including new endoscopic techniques or application of ESS to conditions other than those which can currently be used to treat.

Of course, with the advent of new technologies comes the need for more clinical trials and long-term studies to validate the perceived benefits of ESS compared to other surgical approaches. The industry is already seeing some of that, too, according to Mobbs, who notes that the Journal for Spine Surgery has noticed “an increase in submissions and published research dedicated to advancing endoscopic techniques, technologies, and patient outcomes.”

With this continued focus on advancing technology, coupled with an uptick in rigorous studies proving the effectiveness of endoscopic spinal repair without fusion, ESS is only likely to increase in popularity in the coming years.

Is ESS Right for You?

The evidence is clear; more and more patients are choosing endoscopic surgery for back pain and neck pain every day.

If you’re wondering if endoscopic surgery is right for your unique needs, you are in good company. The truth is that many people who suffer from spinal instability, spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and degenerative disc disease who have already tried less invasive treatment methods are good candidates for ESS. However, in some cases, spinal fusion is necessary.

Every individual is different, so it’s important to get medically evaluated to be sure. Ready to start your journey towards reduced pain and improved quality of life? Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Baig.