VAIL, Colo., Oct. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Robotic and endoscopic backbone surgeon Dr. Michael Gallizzi joined The Steadman Clinic surgical staff in March and has shortly made his presence identified on the Clinic’s elite staff of surgeons.
In April, Dr. Gallizzi joined a brief checklist of spinal surgeons worldwide who’ve eclipsed the century mark in making use of the fast-growing strategy of robotic surgical procedure.
In September, the Detroit, Mich., native reached the century mark in endoscopic backbone surgical procedures, making him the primary surgeon within the Mountain Region of the United States to finish 100 procedures in each robotic and endoscopic backbone surgical procedure.
With most spinal surgeons usually specializing in a single process or the opposite, Dr. Gallizzi has joined a small and elite group of specialists who’ve carried out 100 or extra of each the robotic and endoscopic circumstances.
The distinction within the robotic and endoscopic procedures helps to elucidate why many surgeons concentrate on one over the opposite.
“They are actually diametrically opposite procedures,” defined Dr. Gallizzi. “The robotic surgery is really instrumental in doing minimally invasive spinal fusions. We are able to place hardware with 99-plus percent accuracy and avoid neural structures, as well as adjacent level joints so we don’t disturb any of the other parts of the anatomy.
“The endoscopic procedure is typically reserved for decompressions and disc surgery. I also often do a procedure for low back pain. That is called a medial branch transection that eliminates a nerve that causes back pain from back arthritis.”
While the procedures are fairly totally different, Dr. Gallizzi feels equally adept in performing each and explains a number of the explanation why one is extra prevalent than the opposite.
“Endoscopic adoption has been slower than robotic spine surgery adoption in our country,” he stated. “In Europe and other parts of the world, the endoscopic surgery is actually more common. There are far more endoscopy cases done in Europe and Asia than in the United States.”
There are causes for these discrepancies between the United States and the remainder of the world and far of that, in line with Dr. Gallizzi, is because of the means American surgeons are skilled.
“Some of the training in our own medical system is the cause of that difference,” supplied Dr. Gallizzi. “We seldom train the endoscopic procedure during residency or fellowship. So if you want to go and understand how to do it, learn it and become proficient at it, you generally have to take a lot of extra time away and actually go train on your own and learn how to do it. And many surgeons just don’t have the extra time to devote to that.”
While many spinal surgeons concentrate on one process or the opposite, Dr. Gallizzi is now starting to not solely carry out each, however he’s additionally embarking on the method of mixing the 2 procedures.
“I’m starting to combine the two techniques, meaning that I am using the robot to assist with targeting the small incision and then actually using the scope through the robot,” Dr. Gallizzi stated. “It’s really utilizing the best of both worlds of the two techniques and certainly enhances my ability to accurately perform the procedures.”
What is the subsequent step for Dr. Gallizzi as he strikes ahead along with his groundbreaking achievements at The Steadman Clinic?
“I definitely think that being able to perform these larger surgeries through smaller incisions that are more precise is going to lead to some changes,” answered Dr. Gallizzi. “I think we will see the surgeries that were previously performed only in the hospital begin migrating to an outpatient surgery center.
“And, you know, more precise surgery means less tissue to heal and the chance to decrease the narcotic use in recovery at a hospital,” stated Dr. Gallizzi. “The bigger the incision, the more soft tissue damage occurs and the longer the necessary recovery time for the patient.”
Changes like these may result in diminished hospitalization prices and getting the sufferers again on their toes and of their lively life sooner and with a lot much less ache.
That end result mirrors precisely the strategy that has been in place at The Steadman Clinic since Dr. J. Richard Steadman based it greater than 30 years in the past. His philosophy was to make use of innovation to assist folks return to exercise faster and to remain lively longer.
“You can never outgrow Dr. Steadman’s philosophy,” stated Dr. Gallizzi. “And with today’s technology, we can continue to apply that philosophy of innovation.”
For additional data, contact Lynda Sampson, vp of exterior affairs at SPRI ([email protected]).
