As people age, lower back pain becomes a common health problem for many elderly people.

 

Lower back pain not only affects daily activities, but may also lower the quality of life. It is worth noting that lower back pain in elderly people is likely caused by spinal problems, with common causes being lumbar disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis.

 

In the past, spinal surgery was an open surgery with significant damage and high difficulty. For elderly people, recovery time usually takes a long time. Fortunately, with the development of medical technology, these spinal problems can now be effectively treated through minimally invasive surgery.
 

 

Diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis

01 Diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation

The incidence rate of lumbar disc herniation is about 4.8% for men and 2.5% for women over 35 years old. It is one of the most common forms of spinal degenerative diseases and affects a large number of people worldwide.
 

 

 

Lower back pain is a common manifestation in the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation. For elderly patients, due to compression or even loss of nerve roots at the tail end of the spinal cord, they often experience lower limb radiating pain, lower limb numbness, lower limb weakness, intermittent claudication, and other conditions.

 

02 Lumbar spinal stenosis

Lumbar spinal canal stenosis refers to the absolute or relative stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal caused by various congenital or acquired factors (such as lumbar disc herniation, trauma, etc.), which then stimulates and compresses the cauda equina or spinal nerve root to cause diseases. The incidence rate of the disease among people over 60 years old is as high as 19.4%.

Schematic diagram of lumbar disc herniation

 

Minimally invasive surgical treatment for spinal problems

There are various treatment methods for spinal problems such as lumbar disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis. Generally speaking, for patients with mild pain at the initial stage of the disease, we can try drug therapy, manual therapy, exercise therapy under the guidance of rehabilitation therapists, acupuncture and moxibustion, massage and other conservative treatments.

 

But for people who have ineffective conservative treatment, severe pain, and affect their normal life, surgical treatment can be considered.

 

The traditional surgical method is open surgery, which involves significant incisions and trauma. With the development of medical technology, the concept of minimally invasive surgery is increasingly valued. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that if the adjustment diagnosis for surgery is met, priority should be given to hospitals that can provide minimally invasive surgery.

 

Our spinal department currently offers a variety of minimally invasive surgical options for patients with spinal diseases!

 

01 Endoscopic discectomy

Endoscopic discectomy is an advanced minimally invasive surgical technique that involves inserting a small incision into the protruding area of the intervertebral disc, directly removing the protruding nucleus pulposus tissue, and reducing nerve compression.

 

This surgical approach has the same effect as open surgery, micro or micro endoscopic lumbar discectomy, while reducing damage to surrounding muscles and ligaments. Postoperative pain is mild, recovery time is short, and hospitalization time is greatly shortened.
 

Schematic diagram of endoscopic discectomy

 

02 interspinous device

The interspinous device implantation is one of the minimally invasive surgical methods for treating lumbar spinal stenosis. By implanting a specially designed device between the spinous processes of the lumbar spine, the narrow spinal canal can be stretched open to alleviate nerve compression. This type of surgery has minimal trauma and quick postoperative recovery, especially suitable for elderly patients who cannot tolerate major surgery.

 

Preoperative (left) and postoperative (right) with interspinous device

 

Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital Spinal Department

Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital's Spinal Department has a team composed of chief physicians and associate chief physicians. They have rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal diseases. Our hospital has introduced advanced minimally invasive surgical equipment and technology to provide personalized treatment plans for patients, ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the surgery.

 

For elderly people in Hong Kong, they can use Hong Kong Elderly Health Vouchers to pay for consultations, examinations, and some conservative treatments in our spinal specialty.

 

Lower back pain in the elderly cannot be ignored, and timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial. With its professional medical team and advanced minimally invasive technology, the Spinal Department of Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital provides elderly patients with more treatment options, helping them relieve pain and improve their quality of life.

 

Meanwhile, as a comprehensive hospital, our hospital can provide multidisciplinary consultations and is equipped with CT、MRI、 Surgical rooms, independent wards, and other diagnostic and treatment equipment and facilities can provide patients with one-stop diagnosis and treatment services, ensuring the convenience, comfort, and safety of patients' visits.

 

reference material:

1. Spinal Surgery Group of the Chinese Medical Association Orthopedic Branch, Orthopedic Rehabilitation Group of the Chinese Medical Association Orthopedic Branch Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation [J]. Chinese Journal of Orthopedics, 2020, 40 (08): 477-487. DOI: 10.3760/cmaj.cn121113-20200402-00213

2. Orthopedic Rehabilitation Group of the Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Lumbar Research Group of the Spinal Cord Professional Committee of the Chinese Rehabilitation Medicine Association, Wang Yan, et al Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation in the Elderly [J]. Chinese Journal of Geriatric Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, 2021, 7 (3): 8. DOI: 10.3760/cmaj.cn121113-20200320-00178

3. Osteoporosis Prevention and Rehabilitation Professional Committee of China Rehabilitation Medicine Association, Orthopedic Minimally Invasive Branch of China Elderly Health Care Association, Qiu Guixing, etc Expert consensus on diagnosis and treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis [J]. Chinese Journal of Orthopedics and Joint Surgery, 2023, 16 (2): 97-103

4. Spinal Pain Group of the Pain Credit Association of the Chinese Medical Association Consensus of Chinese Pain Experts on Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation [J]. Chinese Journal of Pain Medicine, 2020 (1): 2-6. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9852.2020.01.002

5. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis using a combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine

Medical proofreading:

United Family Healthcare United Family Healthcare

Ren Hua, Chief Medical Officer

United Family Healthcare United Family Healthcare

Ren Wei, Deputy Chief Physician of Orthopedics

 

Writing and editing responsibilities: Jame

Proofreading: Zilong、Gigi