In his role as Lab Operations Technician II, 32-year-old Zachary Ludwigsen has observed hundreds of cases in the Arthrex lab.
“I work for Research and Development in Spine lab operations,” Zachary said. “I maintain all of the equipment and set up the stations for product managers and faculty surgeons.”
But Zachary never guessed he would become a patient of one of those faculty surgeons himself.
“I herniated my L4-L5 disc in 2021 and was told that I needed a spinal fusion, so I just lived with the pain,” Zachary said. “I knew that was major surgery, and I wanted to do everything I could to avoid it.”
He tried conservative options from physical therapy to steroid injections, which kept him going for a while. But then, in the Spring of 2025, the pain became unbearable.
“I was getting out of the car when I felt something shift. The pain took my breath away,” Zachary said. “I got another epidural injection but then ended up in the hospital two days later because of the pain at the puncture site. It was brutal.”
That’s when Medical Education clinicians at Arthrex recommended that Zachary see neurosurgeon Edison Valle, MD (Naples, FL), who specializes in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery.
“I have worked with him many times in the lab,” Zachary said. “It was a full circle moment for me to become his patient.”
Dr. Valle recommended an ultra-minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery called an interlaminar endoscopic discectomy.
“The endoscope is about the width of a pencil tip, and it allows us to reach small areas inside the spine with a tiny incision about the width of your pinky nail,” Dr. Valle said. “In patients with a herniated disc, we can relieve the pain without disrupting the tissues or nerves around the spine.”
Zachary went into surgery at 6 a.m. on a Thursday and was home by noon the same day. He said the pain decreased by 90 percent immediately.
“I spent the rest of the day with my daughter Anya and her cousins at her grandparents' house,” Zachary said. “Because I lift heavy trays in the lab, Dr. Valle recommended I stay home for two weeks after surgery. I was pain-free when I returned to work.”
Today, Zachary has no restrictions on his activities.
“For such a young man with a herniated disc, we also supported him with biologics to help ensure he doesn’t have to go through this again,” Dr. Valle said.
And for Zachary, it’s like having a new lease on life.
“I have no limitations, and my body feels so much better than it has in years,” he said. “I am astonished at how quickly I recovered. I would 100% encourage others to consider endoscopic surgery for back pain.”
Learn more at ArthrexEndoscopicSpine.com.
Disclaimers:
This is not medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by a surgeon or other qualified medical professional on the use of these products. You should talk with your physician or health care provider for more information about your health condition and whether Arthrex products might be appropriate for you. The surgeon who performs any surgical procedure is responsible for determining and using the appropriate techniques for surgical procedures on each individual patient. Arthrex recommends that surgeons be trained on the use of any particular product before using it in surgery. A surgeon must always rely on their own professional medical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a particular patient. A surgeon must always refer to the package insert, product label, and/or directions for use before using any Arthrex product. Postoperative management is patient-specific and dependent on the treating professional’s assessment. Individual results will vary and not all patients will experience the same postoperative activity level or outcomes. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory approvals and medical practices in individual markets. Please contact Arthrex if you have questions about the availability of products in your area.
Physician is a paid consultant of Arthrex, Inc.