biportal endoscopic surgery was performed for the first time at the Dr. Darío Contreras University Teaching Hospital in Santo Domingo Este to treat a left L4-L5 lumbar disc herniation. biportal endoscopic surgery represents a significant step forward for one of the country’s main public trauma centers.
biportal endoscopic surgery at Darío Contreras
The procedure was performed using the UBE technique, which stands for Unilateral Biportal Endoscopy, a minimally invasive method that uses two small incisions: one for the endoscopic camera and another for the surgical instruments. According to the original report, this allows for precise visualization of the nerve structures and the affected disc, reducing damage to muscles and healthy tissues.
In practical terms, biportal endoscopic surgery aims to resolve spinal compressions with less operative trauma than traditional open surgery. In reference hospitals, this technique has spread due to its usefulness for patients with persistent lower back pain and neurological compromise.
What this technique means for patients
- Less aggression to soft tissues.
- Magnified visualization of the operated area.
- Possible faster functional recovery.
- Modern alternative for certain lumbar hernias.
The value of innovation in a reference hospital
Darío Contreras Hospital is a university teaching center and specialized national third-level hospital, with services related to orthopedics, traumatology, anesthesiology, neurosurgery, and oral-maxillofacial surgery. This structure explains why the incorporation of biportal endoscopic surgery carries clinical and academic weight.
The introduction of this technique also suggests an expansion of capabilities to treat spinal pathologies with less invasive approaches. In hospital practice, this type of advance usually depends on specialized training, adequate equipment, and well-defined surgical protocols.
A step within surgical modernization
Biportal endoscopic surgery does not replace all spinal procedures, but it does expand the therapeutic repertoire available for selected cases. In a high-demand public network, having this option can reduce referrals and improve access to complex treatments.
The incorporation of biportal endoscopic surgery at Darío Contreras reinforces its profile as a teaching and reference center, with the capacity to incorporate modern techniques for the benefit of the population.
For Santo Domingo Este and the public system, the innovation is more than an isolated event: it places Darío Contreras Hospital among the group of centers that are beginning to incorporate advanced endoscopic spine procedures. And it opens the door for biportal endoscopic surgery to have a greater presence in Dominican surgical practice.
The challenge now will be to sustain this line of innovation with continuous training, availability of supplies, and clinical follow-up. If that happens, biportal endoscopic surgery could become an increasingly frequent tool in the treatment of lumbar hernias in the country.
