Anthony Yeung, MD, is founder of Desert Institute for Spine Care, where he performs endoscopic spine surgery using the FDA approved Yeung Endoscopic Spine System, which he developed. The technique is very unique and spine surgeons come from around the country to train with him.
For the procedure, he enters the spine through the foramen with a needle directly identifying the pain source, which allows him to then direct a dilator down the needle path, followed by a cannula and an endoscope to provide visualization of the patho-anatomy and surgical site. Many surgeons are reluctant to enter the spine through the foramen because they are not trained for that approach or are not familiar with it. Dr. Yeung uses the approach for spinal decompression, ablation and irrigation of the source of pain. He uses a bipolar radiofrequency probe to modulate tissue and to stop bleeding, which allows him to use his specially designed spine endoscope to see clearly.https://www.beckersorthopedicandspine.com/spine/item/10986-one-spine-surgeons-journey-to-profitability-5-points-on-dr-anthony-yeungs-unique-practice-procedure
He does not injure normal muscle with this approach and does not destabilize the spine when he decompresses nerves. If the procedure does not provide the pain relief needed, it does not "burn any bridges" for a more traditional procedure. The patients are fully informed about their alternatives. Once fully informed, they will make a joint informed decision with Dr. Yeung.
"My first goal in treating discogenic pain, disc protrusion or disc herniation pain is to expose the annular tear, remove the herniation and free up the spinal nerve. I then ablate and irrigate the inflammatory source of pain," he says. "I do the least invasive procedure first. If I need to do a fusion for instability or deformity, I will either do it myself or refer the patient to my partners at DISC, Christopher Yeung, MD, or Justin Field, MD. Although traditional medicine recommends fusion first, my patients benefit by also having this less invasive surgical alternative."
Dr. Yeung has been president of the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeons and executive director of the Intradiscal Therapy Society. During his career, Dr. Yeung has been named a "Health Care Hero" by the Phoenix Business Journal and served as president of the Maricopa County Medical Society, Arizona Orthopedic Society and Western Orthopedic Society—AZ Chapter.
Dr. Yeung earned his medical degree at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and completed his residency at Maricopa County General Hospital in Phoenix. He also spent time in the U.S. Navy at the Naval Regional Medical Center in the Philippines as chief of orthopedics.
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