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Disc Surgery Options

Disc surgery options can sometimes feel overwhelming. With so many choices, deciding what type of procedure is right for you can be stressful, especially when you’re also dealing with the pain of a degenerative disc condition. Understanding the details of each operation will be the first step in educating yourself about the risks and benefits of disc surgery options.

One type of spine disc surgery is a discectomy, which is aimed at the partial or total removal of a diseased intervertebral disc. The disc may have eroded to the point where the outer wall is torn open and inner disc material is extruding into the spinal canal, or the disc may be bulging, which means the outer wall has remained intact, but part of the disc is pressing outside of its normal perimeters. In either condition, if the patient can feel symptoms of tingling and numbness, it means the damaged disc is infringing on neural activity. Partial or total removal of a troublesome intervertebral disc is one of the most common disc surgeries.

Another version of back disc surgery is a spinal fusion. Spinal fusion is often done in conjunction with disc removal. Fusion involves the use of bone grafts or hardware to artificially join two vertebrae together in the hopes that the bones will naturally fuse together during the osteoblastic (bone growth) process. The aim of this surgery is two-fold: strengthen the spine by joining vertebrae, and relieve pain by immobilizing damaged sections of the spine. In time, the rods and screws used to fasten the bones may be removed.

A newcomer to disc surgery is artificial disc replacement (ADR). Disc replacement surgery involves removing a damaged disc and replacing it with a manmade (prosthetic) disc. Since this disc surgery has not been performed in the United States for very long, there is little statistical data to fall back upon regarding the success and long-term effects of disc replacement.

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Disc surgery options also include endoscopic procedures. Endoscopic technology involves the use of a long tube being inserted into a small incision. Through this tube, the surgeon can funnel surgical instruments, lights, lasers, suction, irrigation, and a video camera directly to the site of damage. Endoscopic procedures are minimally invasive and can be performed on an outpatient basis. Also, because the endoscope doesn’t require a large incision, there is less?risk of nerve damage and muscle trauma.

If you would like to learn more about endoscopic disc surgery options, contact Laser Spine Institute (LSI), the worldwide leader in endoscopic procedures for the spine. Our disc relief treatments have helped tens of thousands of people rediscover a life without pain. Contact us today for a free review of your MRI or CT scan so we can help you decide if a disc procedure is right for you.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.