- Awake State Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy - Under Local Anesthesia -

Mumbai, January 10, 2006 - Wockhardt Spine Centre today shared an innovative advancement in Spine surgery for treating people suffering from slipped disc and requiring remedial surgery is - Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy - an awake state minimally invasive slipped disc surgery.

In today's era of fast paced life, backache is a common ailment affecting almost 60 per cent of people. The commonest cause of backache is "prolapsed intervertebral disc", commonly known as "Slipped Disc". Slipped disc is a painful condition requiring, hospitalization for an average of 5 - 7 days, loss of work/ earning etc. These are among many reasons why patients avoid surgery and suffer from pain and eventual disability.

The PELD under local anesthesia is the one that makes the patient to get discharged in 24 hrs.

Is this a myth or reality?

This innovative form of minimally invasive surgery was performed at Wockhardt Hospitals, on 11th January 2006 and witnessed by more than 100 doctors across the city. Dr. Vikas Gupte, Spine Surgeon, Wockhardt Spine Centre, specialized in doing Percutaneous Endoscopic Cervical/Lumbar Discectomy from Mumbai has set a new benchmark for the patients who require spine surgery.

Dr. Gupte says, "This is an ultimate form of minimally invasive spine surgery. It requires only a 6 mm incision and the surgery is done under local anesthesia. The patient is fully awake during the surgery. The wound is closed with one stitch. Patient gets immediate pain relief and may go home the next day and can resume work soon."

"Percutaneous cervical/lumbar discectomy is different from standard disc surgery because there is no muscle dissection, bone removal, bone fusion, or incision, except for a puncture wound to accommodate the micro-instruments that are inserted into the problem disc. Most complications that occur with conventional surgery, therefore, are eliminated with this procedure. The procedure takes about 20 minutes, on an average" said Dr.Gupte

Wockhardt Hospitals is a super specialty chain of hospitals and has establishments in Mumbai, Bangalore, Nagpur, Kolkata & Hyderabad. Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai is the only super specialty hospital in Southeast Asia to get JCI Accreditation (Joint Commission International - US Based Accreditation) and is an upcoming hub for medical tourism. Wockhardt Hospitals is the exclusive Indian Associate of Harvard Medical International.

For further information please contact:

Suhas Aradhye
Wockhardt Spine Centre
022-55994200/ 9819802140
Suhas.Aradhye@wockhardthospitals.com