Doctors at Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar treated a 25-year-old woman from Manipur suffering from severe lower back pain using a minimally invasive spine surgery technique.
The patient, a health worker, had experienced persistent back pain radiating to both legs for nearly two years. According to the hospital, her condition worsened over time, limiting her ability to walk more than 50 meters or stand for longer than five minutes.
Medical examinations, including an MRI scan, revealed a right-sided L4–L5 disc prolapse, a condition in which a spinal disc presses on a nerve. The patient had previously consulted several hospitals and tried medication without lasting relief. While open surgery with fixation had been suggested earlier, she sought alternative options due to concerns about potential complications.
At Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, doctors initially attempted a nerve root block to reduce pain and inflammation, but the treatment did not provide sufficient relief. Following further evaluation, spine surgeon Dr. Kasinath Swain recommended a unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) discectomy, a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small camera and specialized instruments inserted through small incisions to remove the disc material pressing on the nerve.
Dr. Swain said minimally invasive techniques can help treat nerve compression while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues, supporting faster recovery.
According to the hospital, the patient experienced significant improvement after the procedure and was able to walk without back or leg pain the day after surgery. She was discharged earlier than is typical for patients undergoing traditional open spine surgery.
