This morning at 07h30, Dr Dennis Agbazue, an Orthopaedic Surgeon with an interest in Interventional Pain Management, together with the theatre team at Mediclinic Vereeniging - achieved the milestone of 200th successful endoscopic spinal procedures.
Dr Agbazue led the first endoscopic spinal procedure with the Mediclinic team on National Women’s Day, 09 August 2022, with five scheduled patients, and he performed his 100th procedure on 31 July 2023. And although he closed his practice for holidays in December 2023, he achieved his 200th successful endoscopic spinal procedure today.
Endoscopic Spinal Procedure, also known as Transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD), is a minimally invasive technique that addresses back pain. With the collaboration of Q Surgical, the pioneers of Endoscopic Spinal Surgery in South Africa, Dr Agbazue has enhanced the quality of lives using their most advanced and cutting-edge instrumentation and technology.
The procedure has proven to be a more effective clinical technique contrary to the standard open spine procedure that may interrupt the human physiology and cause prolonged hospital stay. With this procedure, a surgeon can carefully plan to determine the trajectory of the scope in the spinal canal to relieve the pressure that causes pain, and the patient can go home the same day or the next. As testament to the advantages of the procedure, the doctor has shared that some of his patients would request his approval to resume their normal daily activities within the first few weeks post the procedure. Dr Agbazue has not only treated patients in the Vaal, but some of his patients travel all the way from Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Mediclinic Vereeniging remains the preferred facility to conduct the endoscopic spinal procedure because their theatre has a workforce of highly trained personnel, and patient safety and experience are always prioritised, said Dr Agbazue.
