The 'digital' revolution that emerged during Covid has forced youngsters to get addicted to gadgets and have little to zero physical activity. This sedentary lifestyle along rapidly aging population has resulted in increased cases of spine related problems lately. Additionally, a majority of the working population spend long hours sitting at their workplace, which is now identified as one of the primary root cause for numerous spinal problems. Given such diverse causes that vary across age groups, there is a massive demand today for spinal surgeons who not only possess the necessary skillsets, but also have the expertise to identify the underlying cause and treat the patients accordingly. One such individual who has garnered widespread prominence in the endoscopic spinal surgery field in India is Dr Sukumar Sura, Chairman, MD & Chief - Neuro & Spine Surgery, Asian Spine Hospital.

Having completed his MBBS from Mysore University, Karnataka, Dr Sukumar, took-up MS in General Surgery from Stanley Medical College & Hospital, Chennai. Later, he went on to pursue M.Ch with super-specialization in Neurosurgery from Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. Upon completing his M.Ch, Dr Sukumar returned to Hyderabad and started practicing as a Brain and Spine Surgeon since 2011. During this period, he observed that the minimally invasive techniques that were practiced for brain surgeries to avoid any unwanted tissue damage can be implemented for spine surgeries as well - which are equally complicated as neuro surgeries. Thus, he visited numerous countries to further enhance his knowledge base in spinal endoscopy and started this technique in Hyderabad in 2013.

“The endoscopic spine surgery is the least invasive surgical technique, where in the damage to muscle bone is bare minimum, with no bleeding at all. As a result, this technique provides us with the best visualization of the tissue and helps us achieve best possible outcomes. Additionally, endoscopic surgery not only assures patients with very low level of trauma and minimum post-operative scarring, but also facilitates quick post-operative rehabilitation with reduced complications and no risk of infections. Today, with over a decade of experience in successfully practicing this technique, around 80-90 percent of the spine surgeries that we perform at Asian are done via endoscopic technology using latest pathology equipment”, says Dr Sukumar.

Overcoming Initial Challenges

Despite being one of the most respectable and reputed spine surgeons in the country today, Dr Sukumar's journey was no cake walk. Since the medical community was accustomed to the traditional practices, convincing them to adopt the new surgical technique met a lot of resistance, as that required a lot of training and understanding. Also back then, the technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today, making many doctors question its outcomes of this technique. Although many people tried to demotivate him, Dr Sukumar's perseverance paid-off when they eventually understood the advantages of endoscopic spine surgery and wholeheartedly embraced it.

The secret recipe to Dr Sukumar's success at integrating minimally invasive technique in spinal surgeries has been constant practice at regular open surgeries, as this led him to have a clear understanding of the human

anatomy and understand the patients’ problems better. Leveraging his over a decade experience in the field, Dr Sukumar has established Asian Spine Hospital, where he presently serves as Chairman, MD & Chief - Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery. “The benefits that I could provide to patients through this innovative spine surgery was the primary motivator for me all along”, adds Dr Sukumar.

One-Stop Destination for Complete Spine Care

Under the aegis of Dr Sukumar, Asian Spine Hospital has flourished as an end-to-end centre for spine related problems. Some of the major conditions that the hospital offers treatments to include Advanced Pain Management, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Sciatica, Spinal Stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, Vertebral Fractures, Spinal Tumors and many more. Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery being its primary forte, Dr Sukumar ensures to only use latest tools & technologies such as high-speed drills, radio frequency probes, neuro navigation and robotics to enhance the outcomes of the surgical procedures. Keeping patient experience & satisfaction as paramount, Dr Sukumar leaves no stone unturned to ensure that his patients get nothing short of the best quality care. He clearly understands the way different symptoms effect patients of different age groups and tailors his treatment plan accordingly for each patient.

Our Sole Motto Is To Give Affordable Treatment With Patient-Centric Approach, While Promoting High Standards Across Full Endoscopic Spine Surgeries And Pain Therapies

“Living with neck and back pain can have such farreaching implications, as it affects the sufferers’ family, social and work life. Thus, we first understand the patient’s problem, identify its root cause such as body posture or lifestyle habits, and advise them about the necessary steps to undertake to get rid of the pain/symptoms. If this doesn’t work, we then conduct an MRI scan of the patient and prescribe them steroid injections to reduce the inflammation in spine. Only when this too doesn’t provide us with the desired results do we suggest the patient to undergo surgery. Our sole motto at Asian is to give affordable treatment with patient-centric approach, while promoting high standards across full endoscopic spine surgeries and pain therapies”, explains Dr Sukumar.

The Journey Thus Far

Till date, Dr Sukumar has performed 4,000+ brain and surgeries, including 3,000 endoscopic spine surgeries and over 300 endoscopic spine fusion surgeries. Owing to his vast subject matter expertise, he is a Member of numerous prestigious healthcare organizations that include Neurological Society of India, Neurosurgical Society of India, North American Spine Society (NASS), American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), and European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS). Additionally, he was also invited to give a Guest Lecture on ‘Full Endoscopic Surgical Techniques for Lumbar, Thoracic & Cervical Spine – The Way Forward’ at Johns Hopkins Neurosurgical Spine Center (US), has been the International Instructor for RIWOSPINE GmbH Education & Training Programs, and was conferred with the ‘Best Dissection Award’ for dissecting sub occipital triangle and hand in cadaver in 1994 as well.

Dr Sukumar strongly believes in continuous learning and frequently attends CME, training programs and workshops to stay updated with the latest industry trends and tech advancements. Passionate about endoscopic spine surgeries, he is striving to further improve and nourish the field in India and has also co-founded Spine Endoscopy Research Foundation (SERF) which is dedicated to drive training, education and research programs on full endoscopic spine surgery. Additionally, as part of his hospital, he has also setup International Full Endoscopic Spine Surgery Training and Education Center (IFESSTEC), which is the world's first state-of-the-art CoE providing advanced training and educational programs for endoscopic spine surgeries.

Sharing Words of Wisdom

When asked about how one can maintain a healthy spine and what his advice is to aspiring endoscopic surgeons, Dr Sukumar says, “People should be extremely cautious about their body posture at all times, take periodic breaks at workplace and do at least a few basic exercises to maintain proper physical health. Also, for individuals wishing to pursue a career in endoscopic spine surgery, three principles that are a must to follow are patience, perseverance and persistence. Never hurry to get results, always stay strong when faced with any setbacks or failures, and make sure to learn from those mistakes”.