Témoignages
UBE Endoscopic Discectomy — a patient recovery journey
2026-05-20 · 7 min de lecture · Équipe Dr. Akşan
A 47-year-old patient travelled to Turkey for minimally invasive spine surgery. Two 6 mm portals, 75-minute procedure, walking the corridor on day 1. Names and details anonymised.
Names and details are anonymised at the patient's request.
The decision
A 47-year-old patient from northern Europe had been suffering from a herniated lumbar disc for over a year. Progressive sciatic pain down the left leg, numbness in the foot. Two epidural steroid injections at home gave only temporary relief.
His local neurosurgeon recommended open lumbar microdiscectomy — 5-7 days in hospital, 6-8 weeks back to work. Waiting list: 4 months.
After researching options online, he reached out on WhatsApp.
Pre-op consultation
We arranged a 30-minute video call with Dr. Akşan within 48 hours. The patient uploaded his MRI to a secure DICOM viewer; Dr. Akşan reviewed the images live during the call.
The herniation was at L4-L5, with a clearly extruded fragment compressing the L5 nerve root. Dr. Akşan explained two options:
- Open microdiscectomy — the standard recommendation he had received at home
- UBE (Unilateral Biportal Endoscopy) — minimally invasive, two 6 mm portals instead of one 4-5 cm incision
UBE is Dr. Akşan's specialty — 8+ years of experience, 400+ procedures, same-day mobilisation in most cases.
Travel & arrival
Two weeks later, the patient flew to Istanbul on a Sunday evening. Our team met him at arrivals, drove him to a hotel near the partner hospital, and confirmed Monday admission.
His wife travelled with him. Both spoke English; our translator was on call but not needed.
The day of surgery
Monday morning: admission, pre-op bloods, anaesthesia consultation. Surgery scheduled for 14:00.
The procedure took 75 minutes under general anaesthesia. Dr. Akşan made two 6 mm portals on the left side, introduced the endoscope and surgical instruments, and removed the extruded fragment. Bone removal was minimal.
He woke in recovery at 16:30. By 18:00, sitting up. By 21:00, walking to the bathroom unassisted.
Recovery
- Day 1: Walking the corridor, no leg pain.
- Day 2: Discharged. First post-op consultation in the afternoon.
- Day 3-5: Light walking in Istanbul. Paracetamol only.
- Day 6: Final consultation. Absorbable sutures — no removal needed.
- Day 7: Flight home.
6-month follow-up
- Leg pain: resolved
- Foot numbness: resolved
- Return to work (desk job): 3 weeks
- Return to recreational cycling: 8 weeks
"The biggest surprise was the recovery speed. With UBE I was back at my desk in 3 weeks. The whole trip felt less like a medical procedure and more like a coordinated travel package — but with serious medical expertise at the centre."
If you would like Dr. Akşan to review your case, send your MRI on WhatsApp. We respond to international cases within 24 hours.