What is a discectomy?

Our minimally invasive discectomy procedure offers relief from chronic pain caused by a herniated disc or bulging disc. Your spine is comprised of individual bones, called vertebrae, that rest one on top of the other to make up the structure of your spine. In between each vertebra is a cushion, called a disc. The discs allow the vertebrae to move and bend without touching the nerves along the spinal cord. When one of the discs begins to deteriorate, it moves out of its normal parameters and often compresses a nerve along the spine. Thus, most people experience localized and radiating pain accompanied with a herniated or bulging disc.

Our discectomy procedure is a minimally invasive way to help treat the pain associated with a herniated or bulging disc by alleviating the pressure on the affected nerve. During the procedure, our surgeons will remove a portion of the herniated or bulging disc that is pressing on a nerve in the spinal cord. Our minimally invasive techniques allow our surgeons to remove the portion of the disc that is compressing the nerve without altering the stability of the spine.

What is the purpose of a minimally invasive discectomy?

A common symptom of several spine conditions is local and radiating pain caused by a compressed nerve along the spinal cord. This pain can range from nagging to debilitating, sometimes resulting in a loss of activity and quality of life.

At Total Spine & Orthopedics, we understand that chronic pain can slow down your life and prevent you from doing the activities you love. Searching for a treatment solution can be difficult and many people don’t know where to start. Many of our patients had tried conservative treatments and pain management therapies for years before turning to our minimally invasive spine surgery. Our procedures are aimed at treating your spine condition at its root cause; this helps us to provide more lasting relief than most conservative treatment options. Our procedures also have a higher patient satisfaction score and shorter recovery time than traditional open back surgery.

What symptoms can be relieved by a discectomy procedure?

While the most common spine condition treated by our discectomy procedure is a herniated or bulging disc, there can also be several other conditions relieved by this minimally invasive procedure, including:

• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Pinched Nerve
• Sciatica

Symptoms of these spine conditions can vary, based on the individual and the severity of the condition. The most common symptoms that people experience include:

• Arm or leg pain — In addition to the localized pain that you may feel at the site of the compressed nerve in your back, you may also experience radiating or shooting pain in your extremities. If your spine condition is in your cervical spine (neck), you may experience pain in your arm and shoulder. If the compressed nerve is in your lower back, you might experience radiating pain down your buttock and leg. The pain may worsen with sudden movements, such as sneezing or coughing.
• Numbness or tingling — Often accompanied by the pain in your arm or leg, you may experience a tingling or numbness that extends to your farthest extremities, such as your hand or foot. Some people may only experience numbness or tingling without the radiating pain.
• Weakness — If the compressed nerve is unable to send strong signals to your surrounding muscles, you may experience weakness in the arm and hand or leg and foot.

If at any time you lose control of your bladder or bowels, seek medical attention immediately.

Many of our procedures utilize the Barricaid device which is designed for patients undergoing lumbar discectomy surgery to treat herniated discs. Its benefits include:

• Reduced Reherniation Risk: By providing a barrier at the site of the herniation, it significantly reduces the chances of reherniation, which is a common issue after a discectomy.
• Preservation of Disc Height: It helps in maintaining the natural height of the intervertebral disc, which can be beneficial for spinal alignment and health.
• Potential for Reduced Pain and Disability: By preventing reherniation and preserving disc integrity, it may lead to a reduction in chronic pain and disability associated with disc issues.
• Lower Need for Additional Surgery: With a reduced risk of reherniation, patients are less likely to require additional surgical interventions, leading to a decrease in the overall healthcare burden and improved long-term outcomes.

These benefits are particularly valuable for patients at high risk of reherniation or those with larger defects in the annulus (the outer ring of the disc) following a lumbar discectomy. However, it’s important to discuss with a healthcare provider to understand the suitability and potential risks for individual cases.

If you are tired of living with chronic pain or having to stop your daily activities and hobbies because of your back pain, please give us a call. Our Board-Certified Doctors can help.