Dr Tan (fourth left) with participants of the Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu endoscopic spine surgery and pain management workshop.
KOTA KINABALU: Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu hosted the first endoscopic spine surgery and pain management workshop in Sabah for surgeons from around Malaysia.
Led by Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu consultant neurosurgeon, neurospine surgeon and pain management specialist Dr Tan Wei Chean, the workshop from May 22-23 provided a platform for other practising surgeons to exchange skills, knowledge and updates in the field of minimally invasive spine surgery and pain management.
“Endoscopic spine surgery stems from modern technology that has become more popular these few years due to its minimal invasiveness.
“In Malaysia, however, this technology is still unfamiliar. It is hoped that this workshop serves as an eye-opener for local surgeons to include it in their practice,” said Dr Tan.
Despite the relative “newness” of the procedure among Malaysians, Dr Tan said patients were accepting the surgery when the option was presented to them as the minimally invasive technique was very appealing.
This is because endoscopic surgery involves smaller incisions and less wounding, therefore reducing recovery time and minimising risks. It is also more cost effective, said Dr Tan.
In addition, he said it was imperative to implement endoscopic surgery because back pain could affect people of any age, for different reasons.
“Commonly, as people get older, the chances of developing lower back pain increases, due to factors such as previous occupation or degenerative disc disease that affects our spine.
“Lumbar pain nowadays is also more common than in older times due to lifestyle and lack of exercise. Poor posture could also cause one to develop the condition, especially now that most people are glued to their smartphones.
“Many are afraid to seek treatment for this condition because they don’t want invasive surgery. As a result, some appeal to drugs but experience various side effects in turn.
“What we want people to know is that now, there is a more advanced technique, the endoscopic technique, which is far less invasive with lower risks, less chance of relapse, shorter recovery time and more benefits overall,” said Dr Tan.
In order to determine the need for spine surgery, Dr Tan explained that patients are required to undergo preliminary procedures or conservative treatment such as medication, physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment and acupuncture, among others. Only after pain management treatment can a doctor assess if surgery is required, he said.
In only a year and a half at Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu, Dr Tan has performed over 60 such procedures with a success rate of around 90 per cent. He explained that some patients relapsed due to putting strain on the body before full recovery. However there had been no permanent nerve injury with the use of this method.
Dr Tan uses the Isee system at Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu to perform his endoscopic surgeries, a set of sophisticated equipment which provides surgeons with a visual while the surgery is being performed. Malaysia is only the second country in the world to utilise this system after China, according to him, with Sabah as the pioneering state.
With over 30 years’ experience studying and practising in Taiwan, Dr Tan brought his expertise to Sabah and treats patients from all over Malaysia and even neighbouring countries. Once a month, he visits Sandakan Specialist Clinic to provide outpatient consultation to patients.
A group of 13 surgeons from across Malaysia attended the endoscopic spine surgery and pain management workshop, which included lectures and three live surgeries performed by Dr Tan. The workshop also featured lectures by orthopaedic surgeons Dr Dharmalingam Muthiah and Dr Choong Leong Tong.
The workshop was sponsored by Perintis Medik Sdn Bhd and supported by Medik-Iink Sabah Sdn Bhd.