These courses are designed primarily for the pain management doctor who wants to bring endoscopic surgery into their practice to cure pain instead of managing it. Government, Insurance companies and Big Pharma are making it known that “Pain Management” with opioids is no longer a viable practice strategy and patients want alternatives to fusion surgery. Failed back surgery is something that needs to be avoided at all costs.
When I say “primarily designed for pain management doctors”, I want to clarify a few things:
One, these courses are primarily designed to treat painful conditions of the spine frequently seen in a pain management office.
Two, many of these painful problems are not typically of much interest to spine surgeons as they are not located inside of the spinal canal.
Three, these conditions can be difficult to diagnose since there is usually no imaging study that shows the source of pain.
Four, these painful conditions are usually diagnosed with a block of some sort, typically done by a pain management doctor.
Five, these courses show how to use endoscopic spine surgery to cure these “soft tissue” problems rather than managing them.
What would it be like for you and your patients if you could “cure” many painful conditions of the spine? Is it even possible? I believe the answer to this question is-Yes.
There are many painful spine conditions that can be cured with endoscopic spine surgery. These conditions include lumbar, thoracic, cervical facet syndrome as well as annular tears. These are the conditions that have been “managed” temporarily in the past by using ablation, injections or medications. However, endoscopic spine surgery can permanently eliminate or considerably reduce the pain from these conditions.
Hi I’m Dr Tony Mork, endoscopic spine specialist. I was a knee and shoulder surgeon for my first 16 years of practice before going 100% spine in 1998. I bought my first Wolf transforaminal tray with a YESS scope in 2001. I have a 100% endoscopic spine practice and have never performed a fusion - there are better ways to cure back pain.
Maybe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you at one of the spine meetings or as an instructor at one of the courses out there.
It’s my belief that endoscopic spine surgery is the best way to cure spine pain that arises from several problems. The reality is that endoscopic spine surgery can address 85-90% of the problems that cause spine pain. ESS can take care of that huge group of patients that don’t respond to pain management, but don’t need a fusion or disc replacement.
I also believe that the practice of endoscopic spine surgery is building like a wave that will cure back pain so a fusion won’t even be considered.
Over the years, I have had the pleasure of meeting people at various points along the the journey and they have been very generous with their knowledge and skills. I know that I could never have gotten to where I am now without their help.
