The Deuk Laser Disc Repair™ can be performed on patients with common spinal conditions, including any symptomatic bulging or herniated discs, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. "The procedure I do is a new cure for discogenic back or neck pain with radiculopathy," says Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, MD, neurosurgeon and CEO of Deuk Spine Institute. "It's one of the least invasive disc surgeries available in the world, and it's not a needle procedure. It's done arthroscopically." Here are five points for spine surgeons on the Deuk Laser Disc Repair™ procedure.
1. No bone is cut. Virtually all other endoscopic laser spine surgeries offered require the surgeon to drill a hole, called a laminotomy and facetectomy, in the back of the patient's spine to alleviate the pain. "They have to drill a hole in the bony roof and facet joint of the spine to be able to get down to the damaged disc," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "The facet joint helps keep the spine stable and by surgically removing any of the facet the spine can become unstable. An unstable spine will eventually become horribly painful and likely require spinal fusion to correct." Instead of drilling the hole, Dr. Deukmedjian uses a special endoscope to gently separate the muscle and ligaments before performing the disc repair with a precise laser. "This procedure eliminates the need to cut the bone," he says.
2. The incisions are smaller. The procedure employs a 7 millimeter incision, while endoscopic discectomies routinely require 18 millimeter incisions. "There is less scarring and muscle damage associated with the smaller incision," says Dr. Deukmedjian. The small incision also means there is less blood loss and fewer complications. "Patients experience the least amount of collateral damage to the normal structures of the spine with this procedure," he says.
3. Surgery is out-of-network. While the other procedures Dr. Deukmedjian performs for his patients are in-network, the laser disc repair procedure is out-of-network. This means potentially spending more time with insurance companies and patients on the financial side to coordinate reimbursement.
4. Patients will seek you out. The procedure is an outpatient surgery which takes about one hour to perform. Patients are regularly walking the same day as surgery and able to drive and return to work the next day. The patients are also less dependent on pain medication than they are after open spine surgeries. "Patients understand when it comes to spine surgery that success and complication rate is important," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "Return to work, reduced disability and decreased medication is also important. Patients understand as consumers that the procedure that provides the highest success, lowest complications, higher return to work rate and less pain medication is what they want."
Some of the patients will even travel cross country or from around the world for the procedure. "Patients shop around for the surgeon who can perform their surgery in an outpatient setting with the smallest incision for the least cost," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "I have several patients who want to be treated with this new technology and they are willing to travel for it."
5. Training on the procedure is extensive. Surgeons must undergo intense training, purchase expensive equipment and spend time gaining experience before beginning to implement the Deuk Laser Disc Repair™ procedure in their practice. "The technique is very technical and difficult," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "However, it's teachable and learnable. Surgeons just have to commit themselves to learning it."
The big problem with disseminating this procedure among surgeons is that there are very few people who are able to teach it. "Those of us who know the procedure have a busy practice, so it's hard for us to teach others in the time we have," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "But I have no doubt this will become the standard of care in spine surgery for people with disc injuries in the future."
Learn more about Deuk Laser Disc Repair.
Read other coverage on spine surgery:
- Spine Surgery in 2011 and Beyond: 7 Points About the Future of Spine Surgery
- The Trend Toward Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: Q&A With Dr. Bryan Massoud of Spine Centers of America
- 6 Ways Evidence-Based Medicine Impacts Orthopedic and Spine Surgery
1. No bone is cut. Virtually all other endoscopic laser spine surgeries offered require the surgeon to drill a hole, called a laminotomy and facetectomy, in the back of the patient's spine to alleviate the pain. "They have to drill a hole in the bony roof and facet joint of the spine to be able to get down to the damaged disc," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "The facet joint helps keep the spine stable and by surgically removing any of the facet the spine can become unstable. An unstable spine will eventually become horribly painful and likely require spinal fusion to correct." Instead of drilling the hole, Dr. Deukmedjian uses a special endoscope to gently separate the muscle and ligaments before performing the disc repair with a precise laser. "This procedure eliminates the need to cut the bone," he says.
2. The incisions are smaller. The procedure employs a 7 millimeter incision, while endoscopic discectomies routinely require 18 millimeter incisions. "There is less scarring and muscle damage associated with the smaller incision," says Dr. Deukmedjian. The small incision also means there is less blood loss and fewer complications. "Patients experience the least amount of collateral damage to the normal structures of the spine with this procedure," he says.
3. Surgery is out-of-network. While the other procedures Dr. Deukmedjian performs for his patients are in-network, the laser disc repair procedure is out-of-network. This means potentially spending more time with insurance companies and patients on the financial side to coordinate reimbursement.
4. Patients will seek you out. The procedure is an outpatient surgery which takes about one hour to perform. Patients are regularly walking the same day as surgery and able to drive and return to work the next day. The patients are also less dependent on pain medication than they are after open spine surgeries. "Patients understand when it comes to spine surgery that success and complication rate is important," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "Return to work, reduced disability and decreased medication is also important. Patients understand as consumers that the procedure that provides the highest success, lowest complications, higher return to work rate and less pain medication is what they want."
Some of the patients will even travel cross country or from around the world for the procedure. "Patients shop around for the surgeon who can perform their surgery in an outpatient setting with the smallest incision for the least cost," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "I have several patients who want to be treated with this new technology and they are willing to travel for it."
5. Training on the procedure is extensive. Surgeons must undergo intense training, purchase expensive equipment and spend time gaining experience before beginning to implement the Deuk Laser Disc Repair™ procedure in their practice. "The technique is very technical and difficult," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "However, it's teachable and learnable. Surgeons just have to commit themselves to learning it."
The big problem with disseminating this procedure among surgeons is that there are very few people who are able to teach it. "Those of us who know the procedure have a busy practice, so it's hard for us to teach others in the time we have," says Dr. Deukmedjian. "But I have no doubt this will become the standard of care in spine surgery for people with disc injuries in the future."
Learn more about Deuk Laser Disc Repair.
Read other coverage on spine surgery:
- Spine Surgery in 2011 and Beyond: 7 Points About the Future of Spine Surgery
- The Trend Toward Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: Q&A With Dr. Bryan Massoud of Spine Centers of America
- 6 Ways Evidence-Based Medicine Impacts Orthopedic and Spine Surgery