980nm lamber laser for Minimally-Invasive PLDD Laser Surgery

The PLDD is a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of disc herniations. It uses only a thin needle in which an optical fiber is inserted and it uses local anesthesia. The needle is introduced posteriorly in the lumbar cases and at the anterior right lateral level of the neck for cervicl cases, at an exact entry point. The needle is pushed forward carefully, under radiological control, to reach the center of the disk from which the disc herniation originates.

At this point, laser pulses are delivered and these must to be individualized from patient to patient with precise parameters (single pulse power, pause time in seconds between one pulse and the next one, total laser energy delivered). The laser pulses vaporize a very small amount of the center of the disk (called nucleus pulposus that is rich in water) and this produces a marked reduction of the pressure inside the disc and consequently also a reduction of the pressure that the hernia exerts on the nerve root (cause of the patient's pain). It should be noted that the goal of PLDD is not the disappearance of the herniated disc, but to reduce the pressure it exerts on the nerve. An example that makes good sense is if we consider hernia as a very puffy balloon that presses on the nerve. The PLDD aims to deflate the balloon and thus to eliminate the pressure exerted on the nerve (for this reason it is called "decompression"). There are no cuts of the skin, muscles, ligaments and bone removing as in the "classical" or endoscopic surgical technique.

PLDD laser system is specially designed for PLDD mini-invasive surgery, providing a full set of high quality standard and optional accessories, such as puncture needle, Y-valve, optical fiber, safety goggles, footswitch, fiber cutter, carry case, cart and etc.

Specifications

The advantages of the laser discectomy over conventional surgery

Performed as an out patient procedure
Do not preclude alternative surgical options
Reduced risk of complications
Usually provide immediate relief of symptoms
Reduced soft tissue injury
No bone is sacrificed
No epidural fibrosis [scarring about the cord] as a result of the
surgical procedure