You’ve been told you need a big, painful surgery for your thoracic disc herniation. But the truth is, there’s a better way.
Treat your thoracic disc herniation with the most advanced spine surgery available in the world. At ESINY, our award-winning New York team uses an incision the size of a pencil eraser (less than 1 cm) and cutting-edge techniques with the lowest risk to help you heal faster. Most patients go home the same day as surgery with minimal pain and a band-aid.
A thoracic disc herniation happens when one of the discs between the vertebrae in your mid-back presses on nearby nerves or the spinal cord. These are rare and often overlooked, partly because their symptoms can mimic other conditions. They can develop slowly or suddenly, and when they do cause trouble, the effects can be extremely frustrating and disruptive to your life. Because the thoracic spine sits near vital structures, diagnosing and treating these herniations requires skill and precision.
Endoscopic spine treatment offers the most precise, minimally invasive solution for treating your thoracic disc herniation.
For thoracic disc herniation, our endoscopic approach often keeps risk to a minimum, with an infection rate of just 0.001% and ten times less blood loss than open thoracic surgery. Most patients return to work and daily life up to ten days faster, without the higher complication rates linked to traditional open procedures in this delicate part of the spine.
Traditional thoracic spine surgery often requires rib removal or cutting through large sections of muscle to reach the herniated disc. Our endoscopic approach is designed to avoid both. Using the smallest incision and a high-definition camera, we reach the problem disc without disrupting the surrounding structures, which can mean less pain, less scarring, and a faster recovery.
Almost every patient goes home the same day and starts light activity right away. There’s no overnight stay, no rib removal, and no drawn-out recovery.
Unlike traditional thoracic spine surgeries that use general anesthesia, our endoscopic treatment can often use minimal sedation and local anesthesia, so you remain awake, comfortable, and clear-headed. While general anesthesia is sometimes still used, many patients don’t need it.
Our endoscopic treatment is designed to address:
ESINY leads the way in endoscopic spine treatment. Our award-winning doctors focus on treating the exact source of your symptoms with exceptional precision, potentially longer-lasting results, fewer side effects, and recoveries often faster than traditional surgery or injections.
With decades of combined experience, our internationally recognized team has presented at more than 500 conferences — including the North American Spine Society and the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery — and published over 300 papers in peer-reviewed medical journals. They’ve also earned honors such as Honorary Member of the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgeons, giving you access to precision medicine supported by unmatched expertise.
During your consultation, we focus on understanding your symptoms (whether it’s mid-back pain, chest or rib sensations, or changes in mobility) and discuss any previous treatments you’ve tried. If we determine you’re a candidate for endoscopic thoracic discectomy, we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect.
Our approach is the most minimally invasive surgical option available in the world for treating thoracic disc herniations. By using a very small incision (the size of a pencil eraser), we often achieve faster recovery, fewer side effects, and avoid the need for rib removal or large muscle dissection. Most patients only need a local anesthetic, and 95% return home the same day.
In the week after your procedure, your ESINY doctor will personally call you to check your progress and answer any questions, making sure you have guidance every step of the way.
You might be a candidate for this treatment even if you’ve been told surgery is not an option or would be too risky. In fact, many people come to us after injections, physical therapy, or prior spine procedures have failed. We always evaluate each case individually, focusing on precision treatment that relieves pressure in the spinal canal, protects your nerve roots, and supports long-term function.
Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Endoscopic thoracic disc herniation treatment is the most minimally invasive surgical treatment for addressing a thoracic herniated disc. This condition occurs when one of the intervertebral discs between the thoracic vertebrae bulges or ruptures into the spinal canal, pressing on the spinal nerves or causing spinal cord compression. Using a tiny camera (endoscope) and highly specialized instruments, our leading surgeons access the problem area through a very tiny incision—treating the disc with precision while sparing surrounding tissues. At ESINY, we are the only dedicated endoscopic spine institute in the United States and have unmatched experience treating conditions in the thoracic spine.
This advanced procedure allows us to target the exact disc causing your symptoms with greater accuracy, fewer side effects, and a potentially faster recovery than traditional open surgery. Most patients go home the same day, avoid rib removal, and experience less disruption to the surrounding muscle and bone.
Traditional surgery on the thoracic spine consists of large incisions, muscle dissection, bone removal, and often, longer hospital stays. In contrast, our endoscopic treatment uses a small incision, avoids unnecessary disruption of healthy tissue, and reaches the affected disc often without compromising stability. This approach is designed to preserve the nerve roots, protect the spinal cord, and help you recover more quickly.
If you’ve had injections to manage your thoracic spine pain, you know the benefit of choosing a less invasive option. Endoscopic surgery builds on that concept by addressing the root cause—removing the herniated disc material from the spinal canal—rather than masking symptoms. It delivers the precision you expect from an injection but with the potential for lasting relief.
Thoracic disc herniation can cause symptoms that differ from herniated discs in the lumbar spine. Because this area affects the upper and middle back, symptoms often involve the chest and torso. Common symptoms include (but are not limited to): upper or mid back pain, pain that wraps around the ribs or chest, tingling or numbness in the chest or abdomen, and muscle tightness in the upper back.
Thoracic disc herniations can result from gradual wear and tear on the spine or from a sudden injury. Over time, discs can lose their flexibility and begin to bulge or tear, pressing on nearby nerves or the spinal cord. In the thoracic spine, this might happen from:
Because these herniations often cause vague symptoms, they’re sometimes misdiagnosed until the problem worsens.
Yes. In experienced hands, it often carries a lower risk than open surgery. There’s less bleeding, fewer complications, and often a shorter recovery period.
In many cases, this procedure can be performed with light sedation and local anesthesia, keeping you comfortable and alert. If you prefer general anesthesia, that’s an option too.
95% of patients walk out the same day and return to light activity right away. Symptoms caused by pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots—such as pain, weakness, or tingling—can often improve immediately. Full recovery is usually weeks faster than traditional surgery.
Most patients experience only mild discomfort after surgery, far less than with open thoracic procedures. Heavy pain medications are rarely needed, and recovery tends to be smoother.
The incision is under 1 cm, which is about the size of a pencil eraser. Once healed, it’s barely noticeable.
Endoscopic spine surgery is advancing quickly, but very few surgeons have the training to perform it in the thoracic spine at a high level. Our team at ESINY has performed more of these procedures than any other center in the country.
Yes—and in many cases, they’re even better. Endoscopic thoracic disc herniation treatment is a highly precise surgical intervention that removes pressure on the spinal cord and nerves while often preserving the healthy structures of your spine, potentially allowing you to return to your life sooner.
Find out why endoscopic spine surgery is right for you
