Introducing Joseph Spine Institute’s New Endoscopic Spine Center of Excellence

13 Sep 2024 Back Pain, Endoscopic Spine Surgery, Endoscopy, Kyphoplasty, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Outpatient, Pain Management, Revision Surgery, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Spine News

Innovative Leaders in Minimally Invasive Spine Care: Introducing Joseph Spine Institute’s (JSI) New Endoscopic Spine Center of Excellence

Joseph Spine Institute, a leading provider of comprehensive spine care services, is proud to announce the opening of its new Endoscopic Spine Center. Above all, the center is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of spine conditions using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques.

Tampa’s Endoscopic Center of Excellence

The Endoscopic Spine Center, founded by Dr. Samuel Joseph, is the latest addition to Joseph Spine Institute’s range of services and represents a significant advancement in spine care. With endoscopic spine surgery, patients can benefit from smaller incisions, reduced blood loss, faster recovery times, and less postoperative pain than traditional open spine surgery, as a result patient outcomes and financial expenditure is positively affected.   The center isstaffed by the best board-certified spine surgeons who are trained in the latest endoscopic techniques, ensuring that patients receive the highest quality care.

According to Dr. Samuel Joseph, Founder of Joseph Spine Institute, “The opening of our Endoscopic Spine Center represents a significant milestone for our practice. We are proud to be at the forefront of spine care, and we are committed to providing our patients with the most advanced and effective treatments available.”

Key Benefits of Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Key features and benefits of endoscopic spine surgery include:

  • Minimally Invasive: Endoscopic spine surgery requires smaller incisions compared to traditional open surgeries, resulting in less damage to surrounding muscles and tissues. This often leads to reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, and quicker recovery times.
  • Precise Visualization: The high-definition camera on the endoscope provides magnified, detailed images of the spine, allowing the surgeon to precisely navigate and perform the necessary procedures with accuracy.
  • Targeted Treatment: Endoscopic spine surgery enables surgeons to target specific areas of the spine while sparing healthy tissue, minimizing the risk of complications and maximizing the effectiveness of the treatment.
  • Reduced Blood Loss: The minimally invasive nature of endoscopic spine surgery typically results in less blood loss during the procedure, reducing the need for blood transfusions and lowering the risk of complications associated with excessive bleeding.
  • Customized Approach: Endoscopic spine surgery can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each patient, with procedures ranging from simple discectomies to more complex spinal fusions, depending on the underlying spinal condition.
  • Improved Function: Less healing time. Surgeons often do not have to cut through muscles to complete the procedure, leading to less tissue damage, minimal pain and a quicker recovery.

Offering a Wide Range of Endoscopic Spine Procedures

Endoscopic spine surgery, like many minimally invasive spine procedures, is a versatile technique used to treat various spinal disorders and conditions causing back pain or nerve dysfunction.

Determining if you’re a suitable candidate for endoscopic spine surgery depends on factors such as your symptoms, how they affect your daily life, your overall health, and other considerations.

However, due to the benefits of minimally invasive procedures, such as lower blood loss, smaller incisions, and quicker recovery times, endoscopic spine surgery can often be an option for patients who are too ill or frail for traditional open surgery.

For those who are eligible, endoscopic spine surgery can potentially treat conditions including:

  • Degenerative Disc Disease: This condition involves the gradual deterioration and stiffening of spinal discs with age, exacerbated by factors like tissue damage, repetitive strain, obesity, improper lifting, sports injuries, and accidents.
  • Disc Herniation: Also known as a herniated disc, this occurs when a damaged disc bulges and presses on the spinal cord or nerve roots, causing pain. It can be treated with an endoscopic discectomy, where the protruding portion or the entire disc is removed and possibly replaced with an artificial disc.
  • Spinal Stenosis: This condition involves the narrowing of the spinal canal due to bone spurs, which irritate the spinal cord or nerves. Lumbar spinal stenosis affects the lower back, while cervical spinal stenosis affects the neck.
  • Spinal Instability: Endoscopic spinal fusion can correct this by using medical hardware to permanently join an unstable vertebra to a stable one.
  • Spinal Fractures
  • Congenital Spinal Deformities
  • Traumatic Injuries: This includes injuries to the vertebrae, soft tissues, or spinal column.
  • Spinal Tumors

Endoscopic spine surgery offers a less invasive alternative with numerous benefits for suitable patient

The opening of the Endoscopic Spine Center is a reflection of Joseph Spine Institute’s commitment to innovation and excellence in spine care. The center will provide patients with the most advanced endoscopic techniques, ensuring that they receive the best possible care for their spine conditions.

For more information about the Endoscopic Spine Center or to schedule a consultation, please visit the Joseph Spine Institute website or call (813) 534-6269.

About Dr. Samuel A. Joseph, Jr.

Dr. Samuel Joseph

Founder, Joseph Spine Institute

Dr. Joseph is the founder of Joseph Spine Institute and the International Spine Foundation. He is dedicated to pioneering minimally invasive, outpatient surgical procedures. Dr. Joseph is at the forefront of endoscopic spine surgery and a team physician for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dr. Joseph’s practice includes the specialized, conservative, and surgical care of patients. Treatment includes therapeutic injections, disc replacement surgery, minimally invasive techniques, and complex reconstruction of adult and pediatric spinal disorders. 

Dr. Joseph has used his training and experience to become a leader nationwide on revision surgery for patients who have experienced failed surgery in the past. These patients have traveled to see Dr. Joseph not only from the Tampa Bay area, but from other areas of Florida and across the country as well.

About Joseph Spine Institute

 Joseph Spine Institute (JSI) was founded in 2016 by Dr. Samuel Joseph. He has assembled a comprehensive team of highly skilled spine specialists that are devoted to offering the highest level of spine care available today. He has also strategically partnered with some of the most innovative leaders in the spine care industry today in order to bring our patients the latest in technology, products and resources.

From state-of-the-art technology, to alternate therapies and interventional pain management treatments our industry leading spine care practice offers our patients a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of spinal conditions. Our highly-trained surgeons offer an integrated approach to patients that includes surgical and non-surgical options such as pain management and physical therapy.

 

 

 

Kyphoplasty Outpatient Procedure for Compression Fractures

24 Aug 2021 Kyphoplasty, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Outpatient

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery used to treat spinal compression fractures.

In this video Dr.  Thuy Nguyen will explain a minimally invasive treatment option for compression fractures, called Kyphoplasty.

Spinal compression fractures occur primarily in spinal vertebrae that have been weakened by osteoporosis. Compression fractures typically occur in the thoracic region of the spine, which includes the T1 through T12 vertebrae, but may also occur in the lumbar spine, including L1 through L5.

Kyphoplasty not only repairs the injury but also prevents worsening deformity and malalignment using a synthetic polymer and helps prevent future problems. This minimally invasive procedure uses orthopedic cement or new bone substitute materials to “rebuild” the vertebral space lost as a result of the compression fracture. The procedure relieves pain, restores height, and stabilizes the vertebrae.
In the procedure, the patient lies face down on the operating table. The surgeon makes a small, half-centimeter incision over the affected area.

Kyphoplasty is performed under local or general anesthesia. Small incisions are made on your back. Using image guided x-ray technology a narrow tube is threaded through the incision to the fractured vertebra. A special balloon or an articulating needle is inserted through the tube into the vertebra and gently inflated and creates a cavity to help restore the vertebral body height and creates a channel for the bone cement or glue.
Next, the needle is removed and the space is filled with a medical grade bone cement (polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA). The cement quickly hardens, mending the fracture creating an internal cast inside of the fractured vertebra, which usually takes about 5 minutes.

My patients go home the same day as the procedure. As a neurosurgeon I can be a valuable source to answer your questions about symptoms, treatment and your healthcare. If you would like more information about treating spine compression fractures or other painful spine issue please feel free to contact our office by the phone number on your screen or request an appointment at JosephSpine.com.

minimally invasive spine surgery tampa bay

The Difference Between Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery vs. Traditional Open Surgery

3 May 2021 Endoscopic Spine Surgery, Endoscopy, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Outpatient, Spine News

The Difference Between Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery vs. Traditional Open Surgery

written by Dr. Samuel A. Joseph, Jr.

Spine surgery has been transformed significantly by the growth of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) procedures. As a spine surgeon I am always researching new ways to improve patient outcomes. Implementing new advancements that improve recovery time, create less scaring and less pain after an operation is the ultimate goal for all of us at Joseph Spine Institute. By combining advanced techniques and partnering with with innovators developing cutting edge spine technologies patients now have more options for minimally invasive spine surgery and outpatient procedures than ever before.

Is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Right for You?

Many patients come in to my office confused about the difference between open surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery otherwise called MIS. The traditional open surgery is still necessary in certain situations. However, with the advancement of newer technology most procedures can now be performed in a MIS manner. There are many factors involved in this decision, most importantly are the specific details of your condition. Consulting an exceptionally trained and well respected board certified spine surgeon is of the utmost importance when determining the type of treatment options that are best for you.

What Is Open Spine Surgery?

During open surgery, you can expect to be opened up (hence, the name). Open surgery involves making an incision that then proceeds down to pull the muscles and ligaments off the spine to get access to the problem area. This is typically done in a hospital and requires an overnight stay. It’s also possible that, during an open procedure, muscles and tendons will have to be cut through and moved aside to reach the affected area. This can cause damage to these tissues, possible large loss of blood and prolong recovery.

Once bones of the spine can be visualized, the necessary spinal procedure can begin. Most open spine surgeries require the following:

  • Anesthesia
  • Large incisions
  • Muscle retraction
  • Long surgery times
  • Hospitalization
  • Long recovery times

What is Difference with Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?

MIS surgery approaches the same problem, but with a different rationale. The goal is to preserve the muscles and tissues through smaller incision and techniques that go through or around the muscles without stripping them off.

MIS is performed using much smaller incisions than open surgery. Small tube shaped retractors, rather than large muscle dissecting ones, are used to create a narrow opening to accesses the spine.  X-ray fluoroscopy and a microscope allow me to visualize the area of interest in the spine.

Very small instruments are used to remove pieces of damaged vertebral bone, cartilage, and/or spinal disc. This type of minimally invasive approach results in less damage to the muscles and soft tissues that surround the spine, which leads to an expedited recovery and less post-operative pain.

What are the benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery?

  • Less OR time for procedure
  • Faster recovery
  • Less bleeding (which means little chance of blood transfusion)
  • Smaller incision
  • Little or no muscle cutting
  • Less risk of infection
  • Less pain after surgery
    • Decreased reliance on pain medication
  • Less rehabilitation is needed
    • Patients return to work and activities more quickly
  • Less scarring

“MIS surgeries are usually done outpatient which means no hospital stay and getting home that day.  This allows me as a spine surgeon to get you back to life much faster!” Dr. Samuel A. Joseph.

Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures

The following spinal surgeries can be performed using a minimally invasive technique:

  • Spinal Fusion – Spinal fusion is surgery to permanently connect two or more vertebrae in your spine, eliminating motion between them. Spinal fusion involves techniques designed to mimic the normal healing process of broken bones. During spinal fusion, your surgeon places bone or a bonelike material within the space between two spinal vertebrae. Metal plates, screws and rods may be used to hold the vertebrae together, so they can heal into one solid unit.
  • Kyphoplasty – Kyphoplasty is a surgical procedure that expands and stabilizes compression fractures of the spine. Kyphoplasty uses a small balloon that gently lifts bone fragments into their correct position.  The balloon is inflated to create a space that the surgeon later fills with a special bone cement. The bone cement creates an internal cast that holds the vertebra in place. This extra feature allows kyphoplasty to help restore vertebral height, and thus, help reduce spinal deformity.  It also allows a thicker cement to be used which has less risk of leaking out and causing complications.
  • Cervical Disc Replacement – Cervical disk replacement surgery involves removing a diseased cervical disk and replacing it with an artificial, man-made device. An artificial disc may be used to replace a disc in either the lumbar spine (lower back) or cervical spine (neck).
  • Laminectomy – A laminectomy is a procedure to remove the spinous process and lamina of the affected vertebra. The surgery relieves pressure on the spinal nerve roots by creating more space in the spinal canal. This procedure is primarily performed to relieve symptoms of spinal stenosis.
  • Discectomy and Microdiscectomy – Removes either a part of or an entire intervertebral disc to relieve nerve pressure. The difference between the two procedures is that a microdiscectomy is performed using an operating microscope. These procedures are used to remove either ruptured or herniated discs.
  • Spinal Cord Stimulation – A pain management technique that involves the surgical implantation of an electrotherapeutic device onto the spinal cord. In the procedure, a device is implanted that introduces low levels of electrical current to the dorsal portion of the spinal cord to block the sensation of pain. Spinal cord stimulators may be a fully implanted system or a system with an external power source.
  • Interspinous Spacer Placement – A spacer is an implant that sits between two interspinous processes in the lumbar spine. These spacers are inserted in a minimally invasive procedure. The purpose of interspinous spacers is to increase the space between processes and relieve the symptoms of spinal stenosis

What spinal conditions can be treated with MIS?

  • Herniated Disc – A condition in which the annulus fibrosus (outer portion) of the vertebral disc is torn, enabling the nucleus (inner portion) to herniate or extrude through the fibers. The herniated material can compress the nerves around the disc and create pain that can radiate through the back and sometimes down the arms (if the herniation is in the cervical spine) and legs (if the herniation is in the lumbar spine).
  • Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) –  A condition in which a damaged spinal disc causes pain. (While everyone has some wear and tear of their spinal discs; not everyone will have pain.) And although it may take decades before you feel pain (if you ever do), the degeneration process can start as early as your 20s.
  • Sciatica – Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body. Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.
  • Scoliosis, Spinal Deformities – Scoliosis and other types of spinal deformity are characterized by abnormal spinal curves that can vary in size and shape. Normal curvature of spine, called lordosis and kyphosis, naturally occur at different levels or regions of the spinal column. However, scoliosis and/or excessive lordotic or kyphotic curves (eg, hyperkyphosis) are abnormal types of spinal curvatures that can affect balance, flexibility and spinal alignment.
  • Spinal Stenosis – A narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck.
  • Vertebral Compression Fracture (VCF) – occur when the bony block or vertebral body in the spine collapses, which can lead to severe pain, deformity and loss of height. These fractures more commonly occur in the thoracic spine (the middle portion of the spine), especially in the lower part.
  • Spondylolisthesis – A spinal disorder in which a bone (vertebra) slips forward onto the bone below it.
  • Spinal Infections – An infectious disease that affects the vertebral body, the intervertebral disk, or adjacent paraspinal tissue. Spinal infections can develop after a surgical procedure or arise on their own. Infections can affect different parts of your spine—for example, some infections develop in a vertebral body while others may affect an intervertebral disc. Constant back pain without prior injury is a red flag symptom of spinal infection.
  • Spinal Tumors –  A growth that develops within your spinal canal or within the bones of your spine. A spinal cord tumor, also called an intradural tumor, is a spinal tumor that that begins within the spinal cord or the covering of the spinal cord (dura). A tumor that affects the bones of the spine (vertebrae) is called a vertebral tumor.

Due to the rapid advance in technology new techniques, procedures, equipment and implants are developed to further enhance the treatment of spine disorders and diseases through minimally invasive procedures. However, it is important to note that some severe cases of spinal infections, scoliotic curves, or complex multi-level spinal procedures cannot be treated minimally invasively.

About Dr. Samuel Joseph

Dr. Samuel Joseph is a board certified, fellowship-trained, orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in advanced spine care. He is a leader in new spine medicine techniques and procedures.  He is dedicated to pioneering minimally invasive, outpatient spine surgical techniques along with complex scoliosis and revision surgery. Dr. Joseph is among a select group of surgeons to offer cutting edge endoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery for patients to provide the most advanced minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) available globally. He is also the team spine surgeon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

About Joseph Spine Institute

Joseph Spine Institute is the advanced center for spine, scoliosis and minimally invasive spine surgery. Founded by Dr. Samuel A. Joseph, Jr., a fellowship trained, board-certified orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Joseph has assembled a comprehensive team of highly skilled spine specialists that are devoted to offering the highest level of spine care available today. He has also strategically partnered with some of the most innovative leaders in the spine care industry today in order to bring our patients the latest in technology, products and resources.

From state-of-the-art technology, to alternate therapies and interventional pain management treatments our industry leading spine care practice offers our patients a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of spinal conditions. Our highly-trained surgeons offer an integrated approach to patients that includes surgical and non-surgical options such as pain management and physical therapy. 

State-of-the-Art Medical Technology and a Highly Skilled Surgeon Bring Tampa Bay a Revolutionary Approach to Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

18 Oct 2019 Mazor X, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Outpatient, Revision Surgery, Scoliosis, Spine News

Dr. Samuel Joseph, founder of the Joseph Spine Institute (JSI) of Tampa Bay, performs the Tampa Bay area’s first Robotic Endoscopically Assisted Percutaneous Outpatient Spinal Fusion at Memorial Hospital of Tampa. This method allows access to the disk, nerves and bones of the spine.

The areas first combined Endoscopic and Robotic-Guided Spine Surgery patient was discharged within one hour of the procedure, instead of the usual 2 – 4 day hospital stay that is usually required with a standard Spinal Fusion procedure. The patient left with only a few tiny scars, 1 – 2 centimeters in length, in comparison to the large scars patients had to live with in the past.

“Together they (Endoscopic and Robotic technology) compliment each other in the perfect package for revolutionizing how spine surgery is done,” states Dr. Joseph. “I am honored to bring this new procedure, combined technology and innovative products to Tampa Bay. At JSI we are dedicated to partnering with the innovators of spine medicine in order to offer our patients the most advanced spine care.”

Partnering with the innovators of cutting edge spine medicine allows JSI to provide our patients with the advantages of next-generation technology that enhances safety and allows for better patient outcomes. Combining these innovative technologies reduces procedure and recovery time as well as offer the following benefits:

  • Pre-operative planning and improved surgical accuracy
  • Smaller incision and less risk of infection
  • Decreased intra-operative radiation
  • Less anesthesia and shorter hospital stay
  • Improved patient safety
  • Reduced post-operative pain and recovery time 

Dr. Joseph utilized the joimax® endoscope which allows direct visualization of the compressed nerve with the ability to remove the pressure and disk through a 1 cm incision. The endoscope (high-resolution camera) provides optimal visualization of the surgical field in HD quality. The endoscope allows the operation to be performed with minimal trauma to any surrounding tissue, as muscles, ligaments and tendons need not be disrupted.

After disc removal and decompression Dr. Joseph utilized Mazor X robot guided technology for improved accuracy, less soft tissue damage and less radiation exposure for the patient.

The percutaneous approach is made possible by this technology as well as special expandable cage by Spinal Elements and the most low profile screws available by MiRus. MiRus has developed MoRe®, a proprietary molybdenum rhenium superalloy for medical implants, to provide an unprecedented combination of strength, ductility, durability, and biological safety that is unmatched by current materials.

About Joseph Spine Institute

Joseph Spine Institute is the advanced center for spine, scoliosis and minimally invasive spine surgery. Founded by Dr. Samuel A. Joseph, Jr., a fellowship trained, board-certified orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Joseph has assembled a comprehensive team of highly skilled spine specialists that are devoted to offering the highest level of spine care available today. He has also strategically partnered with some of the most innovative leaders in the spine care industry today in order to bring our patients the latest in technology, products and resources.

From state-of-the-art technology, to alternate therapies and interventional pain management treatments our industry leading spine care practice offers our patients a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of spinal conditions. Our highly-trained surgeons offer an integrated approach to patients that includes surgical and non-surgical options such as pain management and physical therapy. 

New Technologies and Outpatient Spine Care Make High-Quality Spine Procedures More Cost Efficient

21 Mar 2019 Mazor X, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Outpatient, Revision Surgery, Scoliosis, Spine News

The increased usage of new (often minimally invasive) techniques have allowed existing and new procedures to be performed safely and effectively with outpatients procedures at a much lower cost. Minimally invasive procedures, as opposed to open procedures, mean patients are no longer required to stay overnight in hospitals.

There are a number of ways outpatient surgeries and procedures are helpful for patients as well as medical professionals. Outpatient surgeries are in many ways easier for patients, and there are also inherent benefits for doctors and care centers.  

Convenience of Outpatient Spine Procedures

The most obvious benefit associated with outpatient surgery and other procedures is that it can be easier and more comfortable for patients and their families. A hospital can be an intimidating setting for some individuals, where as undergoing a small operation at a physician’s office or other facility may be preferable. This also is beneficial because it allows patients to recover at their own home, which  can be beneficial to children who worry about their parents away from home.

The physicians will also have much more flexibility in scheduling an outpatient procedure performed in the office or a surgery center.

Cost Savings For Spine Patients

Another major consideration for these types of operations is the enormous potential for cutting costs. Patients do not face room charges at a hospital, and some insurance companies have more lenient coverage for outpatient procedures. According to Becker’s Healthcare, there are tremendous savings associated with outpatient surgeries when compared to the same procedure in a standard facility. For example, patients who underwent outpatient lumbar spine surgery in 2014 saved $320 on average, while across the board these operations cost $8,475 less than they would have at a regular OR.

If you would like to learn more about the orthopedic surgical procedures available at our outpatient surgery centers, please contact us at Joseph Spine and one of our team members will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

About Joseph Spine

Joseph Spine is an advanced center for spine, scoliosis and minimally invasive surgery. Founded by Dr. Samuel A. Joseph, a fellowship trained, board certified orthopedic surgeon. His practice includes the specialized, conservative, and surgical care of patients. Treatment includes therapeutic injections, disc replacement surgery, minimally invasive techniques, and complex reconstruction of adult and pediatric spinal disorders. Dr. Joseph is also among a select group of surgeons to offer cutting edge regenerative injection therapy.

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