Intl experts laud Chinese innovation in minimally invasive spine surgery

A Chinese-developed minimally invasive spinal surgery technique is gaining international recognition, with global experts predicting it could become a widely adopted surgical method, participants at an industry conference in Shanghai said on Friday.

The technique, known as uniport bi-channel dual-media, or UBD, was developed by a team of Shanghai doctors and introduced internationally about a decade ago. It reduces incisions in complex spinal surgeries from about 20 centimeters in traditional operations to less than 1 cm, potentially minimizing tissue damage and improving patient outcomes, experts said.

Developed by He Shisheng, a professor at Shanghai East Hospital affiliated with Tongji University, the technique integrates a single-port, dual-channel design with the use of both air and water in endoscopic procedures. It has secured 40 patents and has been used in more than 2,000 operations in China.

The two channels serve different purposes: one provides a high-definition view of the surgical field, while the other allows surgeons to operate precisely on the affected area. This enables doctors to remove calcified disc tissue within a surgical space measuring just millimeters while avoiding critical nerves and blood vessels.

Experts said the technique reduces tissue trauma while improving surgical flexibility and efficiency, expanding the application of endoscopic surgery, particularly in treating complex spinal conditions.

The technique has been introduced in about 10 countries, including Brazil and India, with training centers established in Japan and Thailand. International experts at the conference expressed strong interest in adopting it for clinical use.

Yasushi Fujiwara, head of the Department of Spine Surgery at Hiroshima City North Medical Center in Japan, said he and another Japanese professor observed a UBD procedure in the operating room at Shanghai East Hospital on Thursday. He praised the smooth operation and the quality of the clinical rounds and handovers they attended.

"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 originated from Shanghai in future surgeries," he said.

Russian expert Sergey Mlyavykh described the technique's design concept as "simply brilliant" and expressed a strong desire to introduce it at his hospital, saying it represented the future direction of surgical development.

Co-hosted by the China Association of Rehabilitation Technology Transformation and Promotion and Shanghai East Hospital, Friday's conference brought together more than 40 experts from 12 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Russia, India, Mexico and Turkiye, alongside their Chinese counterparts.

The conference also explored the international training and clinical application of robot-assisted UBD surgery, which could further advance the technique's precision and expand its use.

"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 at a more rapid pace," he added.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn