SHILLONG, SEP 3: The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, has successfully performed its first Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic (UBE) spine surgery for lumbar disc prolapse, marking a significant advancement in minimally invasive spine care at the institute.
According to NEIGRIHMS, the procedure is believed to be the first UBE discectomy performed at a government healthcare institution in Northeast India.
The surgery was performed on a patient from Assam who was suffering from lumbar disc prolapse resulting in compression of a spinal nerve.
UBE is a modern minimally invasive or “keyhole” spine surgery technique in which surgeons access the affected area through small incisions while using an endoscope to obtain a magnified view of the spinal structures.
Unlike conventional open spine surgery, which generally involves a larger incision and greater disruption of surrounding muscles, UBE is designed to minimise tissue damage while allowing precise visualisation and decompression of the affected nerve.
The institute said potential advantages of the procedure in appropriately selected patients include smaller surgical wounds, reduced muscle injury, less post-operative discomfort, earlier mobilisation and potentially faster recovery.
NEIGRIHMS Director Prof. Nalin Mehta congratulated the medical team and said the introduction of UBE spine surgery represented an important step forward in making minimally invasive and endoscopic spine procedures available in the public healthcare sector of Northeast India.
He said the facility would also enable patients from the region to access advanced spine procedures closer to home.
The institute said the achievement reflects its continuing efforts to introduce modern surgical technologies and strengthen advanced tertiary healthcare services in the Northeast.
The procedure was performed by the Department of Orthopaedics, led by Dr Sachlang Debbarma, with support from Dr Dinendra Chirom, Dr Shanborlang and Dr Ajoy Baishya.
Dr Dasara Nongbet, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anaesthesiology, provided anaesthesia support, while Nursing Officer Watila Chungmuro and her team assisted with nursing care during the surgery.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Head of the Department Prof. (Dr) Bhaskar Borgohain and other senior members, including Prof. (Dr) Sharat Agarwal and Dr Tashi G. Khonglah.
