Congratulations to Dr. Jaime Gasco on completing his 300th Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion (OLIF) procedure at UMC Surgical Hospital using a highly specialized technique practiced by only a few surgeons nationwide.
The achievement was reached this February by Dr. Gasco, Neurosurgeon at UMC Healthcare Partners’ Nexus Neurosciences, who completed all 300 surgeries.
The minimally invasive spine technique for the procedure performed by Dr. Gasco has shown strong clinical outcomes, with a fusion success rate greater than 95%.
“The success of the procedure is determined by the satisfaction of the patient after the operation, and then it gives us satisfaction to know that the outcomes are very good,” said Dr. Gasco.
According to Dr. Gasco, recent advancements include incorporating endoscopic training and techniques into the OLIF procedure.
Dr. Gasco has received training at several hospitals in Spain for advanced endoscopic spine surgery. Working directly with the Spanish Society for Percutaneous and Endoscopic Surgery (SECPEC), pioneers in full-endoscopic approaches to treat disc herniation and spinal stenosis.
The minimally invasive technique, which avoids open exposure of the spine, relies on endoscopic access, resulting in short hospital stays and sometimes even an outpatient procedure.
Dr. Gasco says that by using the technique for the OLIF procedures, patients typically experience short hospital stays, with more than 98% discharged within one day following surgery.
This procedure is designed for patients with sciatica as well as low back pain who have moderate to severe degeneration of the spine.
“The procedure restores the normal anatomy and disc height. It’s like inflating a tire that’s deflated and putting the spine back into the position it should be. It’s a great procedure,” said Dr. Gasco.
Dr. Gasco holds a Level 4 certification through Avicenna Technical University, the highest level available for the endoscopic technique.
“The satisfaction of knowing the technique works, and our team has gotten so efficient because everyone in the room works very much like when a Formula 1 car goes for 10 seconds to get fixed before it goes back into the race,” Gasco said.
Dr. Gasco also credited UMC Surgical Hospital’s team and infrastructure for supporting the high volume of procedures.
UMC is proud to partner with Nexus Neuroscience to provide advanced spine and neurosurgical care. This milestone is an example of the work being done every day by our neurosurgeons to provide the highest quality care to the El Paso community.
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