News Package
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Key Takeaways
- Endoscopic spine surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center relieves pinched nerves through a tiny incision, with no screws or plates.
- Patients typically walk the same day and recover in about six weeks, compared with up to eight months after traditional fusion.
- The approach can suit young, active patients and older patients with other health issues who want to avoid major surgery.
At 54, Elaine Drumm lived with leg numbness and constant cramps from a herniated disc that could have left her paralyzed. She was told she needed fusion surgery, and the months-long recovery meant she might miss her son’s wedding.
A second opinion led her to Phillip Glivar, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The OSUWMC. Dr. Glivar uses a high-definition camera and specialized instruments to remove disc and bone fragments through a keyhole incision.
In February, Drumm walked out of her surgery the same day. By May, she was dancing with her son at his wedding.
