ANANTNAG: The Department of Orthopaedics and Spine Surgery at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag has successfully completed 35 spine endoscopic disc surgeries, marking a significant milestone in its medical achievements. The landmark surgery was performed by Dr. Younis Kamal, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics, along with Dr. Mir Sami-ullah on a 30-year-old male patient from Anantnag district, who underwent an L5-S1 spine endoscopic discectomy under spinal anaesthesia. Post-surgery, the patient has experienced complete relief from pain and is currently recovering well in the ward.
Spine endoscopic surgery, commonly referred to as laser surgery, is an advanced form of minimally invasive spine surgery. This technique is available in only a few centers across the country. In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, GMC Anantnag stands as the sole institution conducting this procedure for the past year, consistently achieving good to excellent results.
One of the significant advantages of spine endoscopic surgery is the absence of incisions or bone cutting for disc removal. Often called "buttonhole" surgery, this method uses small, precise incisions that minimize trauma to the surrounding tissues. Patients benefit from this procedure as it results in no post-surgery pain and excellent outcomes without any surgical incisions or marks on the back. Moreover, this surgery is performed on a day-care basis, allowing patients to be discharged either the same day or the next day.
Prof. (Dr) Rukhsana Najeeb, Principal of GMC Anantnag, congratulated the Department of Orthopaedics for performing numerous endoscopic tertiary-level spine and other arthroscopic surgeries. She commended the department's efforts in bringing advanced endoscopic and arthroscopic treatments to a peripheral medical college, which previously required patients to travel to Srinagar. "The successful implementation of these cutting-edge, minimally invasive procedures at GMC Anantnag not only highlights our commitment to providing the highest standard of care but also reflects our dedication to making advanced medical treatments accessible to our community," she stated.
She also expressed gratitude to Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed, IAS, Administrative Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department, UT of Jammu and Kashmir, for providing essential support in terms of logistics, manpower, and infrastructure.
