Endoscopic Spine Surgery: The Modern Answer to Slip Disc and Back Pain in Rajkot
By Dr. Ridham Khanderia | MCh Neurosurgery (AIIMS Rishikesh) | Fellowship in Endoscopic Spine Surgery, Pune
If you’ve been suffering from back pain, leg pain, or sciatica for months — and someone has told you that you need spine surgery — your first reaction was probably fear. Fear of a large incision. Fear of a long hospital stay. Fear of not being able to walk normally again.
That fear is understandable. But it’s based on how spine surgery used to be done.
Endoscopic spine surgery has changed all of that.
What Is Endoscopic Spine Surgery?
Endoscopic spine surgery is a minimally invasive technique that allows a surgeon to treat problems inside the spine — like a herniated disc or a compressed nerve — through an incision smaller than a centimetre. A thin tube with a tiny camera (called an endoscope) is inserted, giving the surgeon a magnified, high-definition view of the affected area without cutting through muscles or removing bone.
The result: the problem gets fixed, but the surrounding healthy tissue is left completely undisturbed.
How Is It Different from Traditional Spine Surgery?
This is the question most patients ask in my OPD, and it’s the right one to ask.
In traditional open spine surgery, the surgeon makes a long incision, cuts through back muscles, and removes bone to reach the problem disc or nerve. This tissue damage is often responsible for much of the post-operative pain and the long recovery time — not the spine problem itself.
In endoscopic surgery, we work through the natural spaces in your spine rather than cutting around them. There is no muscle cutting, no bone removal, and no general anaesthesia in most cases.
Here’s a simple comparison:
| Traditional Surgery | Endoscopic Surgery | |
|---|---|---|
| Incision size | 5–10 cm | Less than 1 cm |
| Muscle damage | Significant | Minimal to none |
| Anaesthesia | General | Local / Sedation |
| Hospital stay | 3–5 days | Same day / 1 day |
| Return to walking | Days to weeks | Within hours |
| Return to work | 6–12 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
Who Is a Candidate for Endoscopic Spine Surgery?
Endoscopic spine surgery is suitable for patients who have:
- Slip disc (disc herniation) — lumbar or cervical
- Sciatica — shooting pain, numbness, or tingling down one or both legs
- Spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal causing back and leg pain
- Nerve compression — due to disc bulge, bone spur, or thickened ligament
- Failed conservative treatment — where physiotherapy, medications, and injections have not provided adequate relief over 6–12 weeks
It is important to understand that surgery — endoscopic or otherwise — is never the first recommendation. In my practice, the majority of patients with back pain and slip disc can be managed without surgery. However, when surgery is indicated, endoscopic techniques offer a far less traumatic path to recovery.
What Happens During the Procedure?
The procedure is typically performed under local anaesthesia with sedation, meaning you are relaxed and comfortable but do not require a breathing tube or full general anaesthesia.
- You lie comfortably on the operating table
- A small skin incision (less than 1 cm) is made over the target area
- A thin tube is guided into position under X-ray (C-arm) guidance
- The endoscope is inserted, giving the surgeon a live, magnified view
- Specialised micro-instruments are used to remove the herniated disc material or decompress the nerve
- The tube is removed, the tiny incision is closed with a single stitch or a dressing
- You are walking within a few hours
The entire procedure typically takes 45 minutes to 90 minutes depending on the complexity.
Recovery: What to Expect
Most patients are surprised by how quickly they feel better.
- Day of surgery: Walking with assistance within 2–4 hours
- Day 1–2: Mild soreness at the incision site, significant reduction in leg pain in most patients
- Week 1–2: Light activity, short walks, no heavy lifting
- Week 3–4: Gradual return to desk work and daily activities
- Week 6–8: Most patients return to full activity including exercise
Some numbness or tingling in the legs may take longer to fully resolve — nerve healing is a gradual process that can continue for several weeks to months. Physiotherapy after surgery significantly accelerates this recovery.
Is Endoscopic Spine Surgery Available in Rajkot?
Yes. As a neurosurgeon with a Fellowship in Endoscopic Spine Surgery from the Mission Spine Foundation, Pune — trained under Dr. Satishchandra Gore — I perform endoscopic spine procedures in Rajkot. Patients no longer need to travel to Ahmedabad, Mumbai, or Pune for access to this technology.
If you have been told you need spine surgery, or if you have been living with back pain or sciatica that has not responded to conservative treatment, I would encourage you to come in for a consultation. The goal of every consultation is honest advice — not to push you toward surgery, but to help you understand all your options clearly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is endoscopic spine surgery painful? The procedure itself is done under anaesthesia so you will not feel pain. Post-operatively, there is mild soreness at the incision site, which is managed with basic pain medication. Most patients report that post-operative pain is significantly less than they expected.
What are the risks? Like all surgical procedures, endoscopic spine surgery carries risks including infection, nerve irritation, incomplete relief of symptoms, and in rare cases, the need to convert to open surgery. These risks are substantially lower than with traditional open spine surgery and will be discussed in detail during your consultation.
Can the disc herniate again after surgery? Re-herniation is possible in a small percentage of patients. This is why post-operative physiotherapy and lifestyle modifications — including core strengthening, weight management, and posture correction — are an important part of long-term success.
How do I know if I need surgery or just physiotherapy? This depends on the duration of your symptoms, the degree of nerve compression on MRI, the presence of neurological deficits (weakness or bladder/bowel changes), and your response to conservative treatment. This is exactly what a detailed consultation is for.
Book a Consultation
If you are dealing with back pain, slip disc, sciatica, or leg weakness and would like an honest, expert opinion on your treatment options, you can book an appointment online:
Dr. Ridham Khanderia Neuro & Spine Surgeon | MBBS, MS, MCh (AIIMS Rishikesh) Fellowship in Endoscopic Spine Surgery, Pune Genesis Hospital, Raiya Road, Rajkot 📞 9409006776
This article is written for patient education purposes. It does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified neurosurgeon for evaluation of your specific condition.
