'Herniectomy', the newly-coined word meaning the removal of fractured disc fragments beyond just discectomy came into the world.
In the International Society for Minimal Intervention in Spinal Surgery (ISMISS) held from Jan. 29 to Jan. 30, micro endoscopic cervical discectomy, Wooridul Hospital (www.wooridul.com) developed, won high praise as a landmark technology to open a new chapter for spinal therapy. 'Herniectomy', the newly-coined word meaning removal of fractured disc fragments beyond just discectomy was born.
Lee Sang-ho, chairman of Wooridul Hospital and Lee Jun-ho, chief doctor of Wooridul Hospital announced its latest Percutaneous Endoscopic Cervical Discectomy (PECD) removing only fractured disc fragments while preserving the remaining disc as much as possible to work as cushioning without bone fusion or metal implant.
Unlike traditional surgical operations or bone fusion operations, PECD can remove the fragments of a fractured disc through a small hole and leave the remaining health parts of the disc preserved as much as possible, so it reduces side effects and shortens recovery period. Since PECD is not accompanied by general anesthesia and transfusion, it provides less burden and fear to the patients who are elderly or have diabetes/heart diseases.
“Normally, a cervical disc is undergone through discectomy. However, 'Herniectomy' meaning the removal of fractured disc fragments was newly developed, which is a landmark to give hopes for those people with neck pain,” said Dr. Martin Knight, honorary speaker at School of Medicine, the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.
According to the statement, the three-and-nine-month observation of 37 patients who had PECD showed that despite the radiological results like the height of the disc was lowered and degenerated, the clinical results including the level of pain on the neck and arms and that of disability in daily life turned significantly good even long time after PECD. The results were also published on Photomedicine and laser surgery, equally authoritative as much as SCI.
“There was so much attention on PECD from spine specialists around the world in the society that Herniectomy, the new word was coined. I felt that Korea’s medical technology was leading the advanced countries in the medical industry. I hope many patients with neck pain will get better through PECD,” said Lee Sang-ho, chairman of Wooridul Hospital.
Meanwhile, the ISMISS was established in 1990 and has been held annually in Zurich, Switzerland and Philadelphia, U.S. Many spine specialists around Europe and the rest of the world gather in ISMISS and lead the medical community by making presentations over various cases and having discussions.
By Lee Jae-seung
