360° TESSYS® Spinal-Stenosis-System according to Dr. Rudolf Morgenstern
Spinal canal stenosis is a common disease of the spine, particularly in elderly people in industrialised countries. In this degenerative disease of the spinal column, bony excrescences (osteophytes) narrow the spinal canal and drastically limit the motoric and sensoric function of the affected person.
Until now affected patients have been operated on using the open microsurgical method under full anaesthesia, if possible, which causes greater tissue damage and may result in instability of the spinal column.
Small cut, big effect
The 360° TESSYS® Spinal Stenosis System, which was developed in cooperation with Dr. Rudolf Morgenstern of Barcelona, Spain (Centro Médico de Terapia de la Columna), enables surgeons to completely remove this osseous/bony material under direct endoscopic view through the vertebral foramen. With this method, the patient is placed under local anaesthetic, and access to the stenosis is enabled via a fingernail-like cut. The osteophyte can then be removed via this access point using endoscopic reamers and chisels. The surrounding tissue is barely damaged, enabling treated patients to leave the hospital just a few hours after the surgery.
Instruments
Instrumentation is based on TESSYS® – Transforaminal Endoscopic Surgical System, an operation technique and method which is used worldwide for the removal of lumbar disc herniations. It is stored within a special stenosis-instrumentation-tray and is used as follows:
The EndoReamer is used for reaming in combination with all other instruments.
The EndoAwl serves as an anchor at the vertebral bodies where the stenosis is situated.
The EndoChisel, like the EndoAwl, acts as an anchor, allowing coarse stenosis fragments to be removed.
The EndoElevator is used for sidelining tissue, and can furthermore be placed between the vertebral body and intervertebral disc in order to make space for the EndoReamer.
The EndoSpatel has the same function as the EndoElevator, however allows surrounding tissue to be put aside more systematically.
Two attachable handles allow the stable handling of all instruments. In addition, a FlexProbe assists in the detection of the spinal nerve.
