Intl experts hail Chinese surgery technique as next generation

A Chinese-developed minimally invasive spinal surgery technique is set to become the next generation of internationally accepted surgical methods, global experts in minimally invasive surgery said during an industry conference held in Shanghai on Friday.

Leading international medical professors stated that the surgical method, which was globally introduced by a team of Shanghai doctors roughly a decade ago, reduces surgical incision in complex spinal surgeries from about 20 centimeters in a traditional operation to smaller than 1 cm, significantly improving patient outcomes.

Many international experts expressed keen interest in adopting this spinal endoscopic technology known as uni-port bi-channel dual-media, or UBD.

This technique represents a world-first innovation by integrating a single-port dual-channel architecture with compatibility for both air and water media in endoscopic procedures.

One of the channels provides a high-definition visual field, and the other allows precise operation in the affected area. In a surgical space measured in millimeters, doctors can remove the certain calcified disc tissue while successfully avoiding critical nerves and blood vessels.

Experts explained that the features of the technique allow it to reduce tissue trauma while boosting surgical flexibility and efficiency, thereby expanding the scope of endoscopic solutions, particularly in managing complex spinal diseases.

Developed by professor He Shisheng, who currently works at Shanghai East Hospital Affiliated with Tongji University, the surgical technique has secured 40 patents and has been used in over 2,000 operations in China.

In addition, the technique has been introduced in about 10 countries, including Brazil and India, with training centers established in Japan and Thailand.

Yasushi Fujiwara, head of the department of spine surgery at Hiroshima City North Medical Center in Japan, said that along with another Japanese professor, he observed a UBD surgical procedure in the operating room at the Shanghai hospital on Thursday. He noted that the procedure was fairly smooth, and the clinical rounds and handovers were excellent.

"We are amazed at how well the Chinese surgical technique is applied in patient treatment. Japan also has minimally invasive surgical techniques in clinical use. We are very interested in trialing this technique from Shanghai in future surgeries," he said.

Russian expert Sergey Mlyavykh remarked, "The design concept of this UBD surgery is simply brilliant." He expressed a strong desire to introduce this technology to his hospital, as he believed it represents the future of surgical development.

Co-hosted by the China Rehabilitation Technology Transfer and Development Promotion Association and Shanghai East Hospital, the conference attracted more than 40 top experts from 12 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Russia, India, Mexico and Turkiye, along with their Chinese counterparts.

The event also aimed to advance international training and clinical application of robot-assisted UBD surgery, an advancement for this minimally invasive operation.

"The integration of robots allows for fully visualized and precise positioning of the surgeon's operations, indicating the distance from nerves and blood vessels," He said.

"It also offers advantages in surgical planning, optimizing the surgeon's learning curve, and expanding indications, which will ultimately help benefit more patients worldwide in a more rapid pace," he said.