Paras Health Performs Region’s First Awake Endoscopic Spine Surgery on High-Risk Cardiac Patient

Chandigarh: Paras Health Panchkula has achieved a major medical milestone by performing the region’s first awake endoscopic spine surgery under local anaesthesia in a private hospital setting, positioning the hospital at the forefront of minimally invasive spine care in North India.
The breakthrough procedure was led by Dr. Aditya Gupta, Consultant – Spine Surgery and Orthopaedics, marking a new chapter in spinal treatment where high-risk patients who are unfit for general anaesthesia can undergo complex spine surgery safely.
The patient in this case had multiple co-morbidities and serious cardiac complications and had previously been denied fitness for general anaesthesia at several leading hospitals. Using a cutting-edge transforaminal endoscopic technique, Dr. Gupta completed the surgery through a 6–8 mm micro-incision while the patient remained fully awake, responsive, and breathing independently, eliminating the risks associated with general anaesthesia.
Dr. Aditya Gupta, Consultant – Spine Surgery and Orthopaedics, said, “Awake endoscopic spine surgery is not just a minimally invasive technique; it fundamentally changes how we treat high-risk spine patients. When general anaesthesia becomes a barrier, surgery usually stops there. This approach eliminates that barrier. By operating while the patient is awake and communicating, we can pinpoint the exact pain source with real-time feedback, reduce nerve injury risk, and avoid the physiological stress of intubation and sedation. The incision is barely 6–8 mm, and blood loss is negligible, which dramatically reduces recovery time. For patients who were previously deemed unfit for spine surgery, this technique opens a window that simply did not exist before.”
Commenting on the milestone, Dr. Pankaj Mittal, Facility Director, Paras Health Panchkula, said, “This case demonstrates the direction in which spine care is evolving towards safer, personalised, and anaesthesia-conscious surgery for medically fragile patients. Technology is only useful when it meaningfully expands treatment access, and that is exactly what this breakthrough has achieved. At Paras health, patients remain our top most priority and the aim of introducing endoscopic spine surgery are early rehabilitation, less incision and early discharge.”
This clinical success is expected to significantly broaden treatment options for spine patients across the Tricity and neighbouring regions, especially elderly or medically fragile individuals who would otherwise be denied surgical intervention.
Paras Health Panchkula continues to expand its portfolio of specialised surgical interventions