Minimally invasive spine surgery is a compromise. Smaller access typically lowers the ability of the surgeon to visualize the field. It is more restrictive on the tools they can use. Their animation demonstrates the approach, but other than that it is quite amusing. I'd be curious how they safely vapor a calcified disc herniation that is adhered to the nerve root? It's great on the animation how it shrinks uniformly down to zero.
I have not experience with that center, so I'm not prepared to say anything as strong as what Keano said, but I'm quite skeptical.
One thing you seem to understand correctly is that all endoscopic surgery is not the same. There are so many different twists on the procedure. Some twists are better than others and may also be better or worse in specific types of cases. Sadly, the operators tend to do the procedure they like, and in MISS, they seem to think that they won't hurt you, so you might as well try. That is great if you can afford the second surgery. But, if they take a low percentage case without telling you that you are not really a good candidate, then you can't take the next step because you are broke, they have done a great deal of harm!
I have a client who underwent a microdiscectomy on a very large central herniation on Monday. Unfortunately, he went to a NY clinic that does PLDD. This procedure had no chance of working on such a herniation... what a shame.
Be skeptical.
Mark
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