Advanced spinal surgery offers immediate benefits for patients

Calgary neurosurgeon among leaders who perform leading-edge procedure

CALGARY - Nearly 100 patients have benefited from leading-edge endoscopic spinal surgery since it was first performed in Alberta 16 months ago.

A procedure, known as ultra-minimally invasive percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, is part of the relatively new Calgary Endoscopic Spine Surgery Research and Advancement (CESSRA) program being led by Dr. Michael Yang at Foothills Medical Centre. Foothills is believed to be only one of a handful of healthcare facilities in Canada to offer the procedure.

Traditional spinal fusion requires a 10-centimetre (four-inch) incision. The new procedure requires five small punctures, each about the diameter of a pencil, in the patient’s lower back, through which a damaged disc can be removed and hardware inserted to stabilize the spine. An endoscopic camera gives the surgical team a clear view of their task.

Since the CESSRA program was introduced in January 2025, the average post-operative hospital stay is four to six hours, compared to three days for traditional spinal fusion. Average blood loss during the ultra-minimally invasive procedure is roughly one-tenth of the blood loss using the traditional method.

“By not having to open the patient up, we’re not disrupting muscle and bones to reach our target, meaning there’s far less blood loss, less pain, and patients can start their recovery almost immediately,” says Dr. Yang.

“Not only is this good for the patient but, by doing this as a day surgery, we free up beds and staff to support other patients in need. This really aligns with Alberta Health Services’ goal of trying to do more surgery in ambulatory centres and building capacity within the healthcare system.”

Dale Bingham was among the first wave of patients who meet the criteria for the program to be treated by Dr. Yang. Two misaligned vertebrae in Bingham’s lower spine were compressing nerve roots, resulting in extreme pain when walking or getting out of bed. Following surgery, the 71-year-old Red Deer man was up moving right away and slept in his own bed that night.

“I could tell with those first steps that the pain was gone,” says Bingham. “The old-man syndrome, as I call it when you get out of bed and can’t walk because of how much it hurts, had become all I could remember. I don’t have that anymore.”

The CESSRA program is supported by the Calgary Health Foundation, which has a fundraising goal of more than $9 million over five years to catalyze the program’s implementation.

“This program is a powerful example of what philanthropy makes possible in healthcare,” says Paul Rossmann, President and CEO of the Calgary Health Foundation. “Philanthropic support allows us to accelerate the adoption of leading‑edge techniques, helping physicians like Dr. Yang bring innovation into practice, and expand surgical capacity in a way that directly improves patient lives while strengthening the healthcare system.”

Alberta Health Services provides a range of healthcare services for more than five million adults and children living in Alberta. Our mission is to provide excellent, patient-focused healthcare that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.