Laparoscopy, also known as keyhole surgery, is a form of MISS and is one of many procedures that can treat lumbar and cervical herniated discs. Degenerative disc disease can be treated with percutaneous intervertebral disc coagulation (PDCT) by plasma light technology, while percutaneous intervertebral disc decompression (PLDD) treats spine injuries with laser energy in the space of the disc. DiscoGel is an option for those who don’t respond well to ozone therapy (a method that passes pure O2 through a coil to produce O3, a particularly powerful and healing type of oxygen). Intradiscal mechanical decompression and disk augmentation can also be performed, while endoscopic assisted microdiscectomy (transforaminal and interlaminar) removes the pressure of the herniated disc on the nerves.

Lower back epidural steroid injections (L-ESI) create a caudal block for numbing purposes. There’s also the selective nerve root block (SNRB), standard and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), plus sacroiliac (SI) joint and facet blocks to consider. Neuromodulation (whereby a neuron uses chemicals to normalise nervous tissue) is a great choice for patients as it is a flexible lumbar endoscopy using AccuroScopy.

Including pre and stem cell therapy, including the use of platelet rich plasma, (PRP) where the patient’s own blood is used to heal damaged tissue or a joint.

Posterior, anterior, inferior-paracoccygeal approach treatments, as well as far lateral and 360 degree issues. It helps treat degenerative cervical, thoracic and lumbar disc disease plus spondylolisthesis/spondylolysis (stress fracture in the arch of the spine).

Treatment for failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).

Dynamic stabilisation, semi-rigid fixation and MISS disc replacement procedures, that are usually only available in the United States and Europe, are options at Emirates Specialty Hospital. This includes axial lumbar interbody fusion (AxiaLIF/ALIF), PerX360-MISS TLIF, which can perform the percutaneous interbody fusions via two incisions, TLIF/PLIF (transforaminal or posterior lumar interbody fusion) and DLIF/OLIF (direct or oblique lateral interbody fusion).

Direct and indirect decompression methods are available, including interspinous implants (which restore height but allow motion) as well as percutaneous/endoscopic assisted MISS.

Scoliosis correction, Kyphosis (Scheuermann) correction with neuromonitoring during surgery and neuronavigation. It includes the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCF) using balloon kyphoplasty to gently lift bones to the correct position, vertebroplasty to relieve pain via injection, a spine Jack which forces the fracture apart, and OsseoFix which uses an internal implant to stabilise).