Private Herniated Disc Surgery

A herniated disk is a common cause of back and leg pain. Spine discs normally act as a cushion and shock absorber between our spine bones, or vertebrae. When a disc in our spine is damaged, such as bulged or broken, it is pressing on nerve roots and causing pain.

First line of treatment is a non-surgical one, such as changing your activities, physiotherapy, steroid injections, anti-inflammatories or pain medication. If none are helping and pain has persisted for over 6 weeks, surgery can be considered to take pressure off the nerve roots. The surgery removes the bulging disc material that is pressing on the nerves. Necessary diagnostic tests must be done prior to considering surgery, such as MRI, CT scan or Myelogram (use of dye for X-ray).

Most common type of surgery performed for herniated disc is called discectomy. There are several approaches to discectomy. A traditional and most common technique is open discectomy, with or without the use of an operating microscope.

If a microscope is used the surgery is considered minimally invasive. The use of it illuminates and magnifies the surgical field and allows the surgeon make very small incisions. It is also called microdiscectomy. This type of surgery offers immediate relief from sciatica due to a lumbar herniated disc.

Endoscopic microdiscectomy is a technique where a small incision is made and an endoscope is used to visualize the interior structures of the spine and the bulging part of the disc. The smaller space needed for endoscope allows for smaller incision. This type of surgery is not suited for everyone suffering form back pain.

Percutaneous discectomy is another minimally invasive surgery to treat a herniated disc. A special tool is used to remove the herniation by heating it or scraping it. This type of surgery is not appropriate for everyone either. It does provide a faster recovery due to a very small incision.

Laser discectomy is yet another minimally invasive approach. In this type of surgery, the bulging disc material is not removed but burned by the laser.

When considering spinal discectomy, ensure you talk to your surgeon about your options. It is also very important to have a surgeon who is highly skilled in the type of surgery you are seeking. If you need help sorting through different private spinal centers and their doctors and specializations, Health Vantis is here to help. Give us a call and we will ensure you have the best information possible to make the right decision about your private herniated disc surgery.