Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42283214›Full record

ArticleGlobal spine journal2026

Introducing Endoscopic Spine Surgery in Tanzania: Implementation Strategy and Early Clinical Outcomes.

Marta Garvayo, Romani R Sabas, Hamisi Kimaro Shabani, Nicephorus Rutabasibwa, David Gendelberg, Magalie Cadieux, Mariam Mzingi, Roger Härtl, Don Young Park, Osama Kashlan

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Article in Global spine journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Marta GarvayoDepartment of Neurosurgery, Weill-Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian - Och Spine, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4889-6630
Romani R SabasDepartment of Neurosurgery, Weill-Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian - Och Spine, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8002-2167
Hamisi Kimaro ShabaniDivision of Neurosurgery, Muhimbilli Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Nicephorus RutabasibwaDivision of Neurosurgery, Muhimbilli Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
David GendelbergDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Trauma Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Magalie CadieuxDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Mariam MzingiDivision of Neurosurgery, Muhimbilli Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Roger HärtlDepartment of Neurosurgery, Weill-Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian - Och Spine, New York, NY, USA.
Don Young ParkDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
Osama KashlanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Weill-Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian - Och Spine, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-0088-3912

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Study DesignProspective observational pilot study.ObjectivesIntroducing endoscopic spine surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) poses logistical and clinical challenges, yet offers potential patient benefits. This study describes the implementation of a pilot endoscopic spine surgery program in Tanzania and reports early outcomes from the first patient cohort.MethodsWeill Cornell Medicine and the University of California, Irvine facilitated the introduction of endoscopic spine surgery techniques in Tanzania through theoretical and hands-on training, equipment donations, and live surgical mentorship. Fourteen patients with lumbar pathology refractory to conservative treatment underwent endoscopic microdiscectomy and/or decompression. Outcomes were assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, measured preoperatively and postoperatively up to 3 months. All fourteen patients (100%) completed the 3-month assessment.ResultsA structured 5-day program integrating didactic instruction, simulation-based training, and supervised live surgeries successfully introduced spine endoscopy in Tanzania. Fourteen patients underwent endoscopic lumbar decompression (FESS n = 8; UBE n = 6). At short-term follow-up, marked early reductions were observed in back-pain VAS (

Indexed as

endoscopic spine surgeryglobal healthlow- and middle-income countrieslumbar decompressionminimally invasive surgeryTanzania

Identifiers

PMID42283214
PMCPMC13264533

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.