How biportal endoscopic spine surgery is changing the present and future of outpatient spine care
Don Park, MD, professor of orthopedic surgery and director of minimally invasive spine surgery at UCI Health, explains how endoscopic techniques allow surgeons to treat common spine conditions through millimeter-sized incisions, using high-resolution cameras and specialized instruments. He describes how these approaches may support faster recovery, reduced pain, and a transition of appropriate spine procedures from the inpatient setting to an ambulatory surgery center.
Live Well with UCI Health: Trusted Experts, Inspiring Stories
Tune into Live Well with UCI Health, your go-to source for expert health insights directly from Orange County’s only academic health system.
Each episode features our renowned physicians who are leaders in cancer care, digestive health, neurology, orthopaedics, heart health, and more. Join us as we explore timely health and wellness topics.First AR-assisted endoscopic spinal fusion
During the ultra-minimally invasive procedure, UCI Health spine surgeon Dr. Don Y. Park wore an AR headset with high-definition endoscopic video displaying alongside the patient’s MRI images and electronic medical record directly in his field of vision, allowing him to focus on the surgical field without the need to view multiple monitors or step away from the operating table.
live well Exceptional Healthcare For Southern California
Heather Austin has always been passionate about her morning run. Running energized her and helped her balance the emotional demands of working as a clinical social worker. But three years ago, she began experiencing increasingly severe nerve pain that felt like “electric shocks” traveling from her hips to her knees and later to her ankles.
Outpatient spine surgery returns runner to peak health
Heather Austin had always been blessed with great health. She easily balanced her career as a clinical social worker at UCI Health with a slew of activities for her two teens. Every morning, she ran three miles, a habit dating to her college days.
