Discectomy is the surgical removal of the damaged portion of the herniated disc in the spine. A herniated/slip disc can irritate or compress nearby nerves and cause pain, numbness or weakness and this surgery helps to relieve the pressure on the nerve roots, thus bringing relief from symptoms.
In some cases, a small piece of bone (the lamina) from the affected vertebra may be removed. This is called a laminectomy. If it is necessary to remove material from several nearby vertebrae, the spine may become unsteady, in that case, it may be combined with a procedure termed as Spinal fusion.
PROCEDURE
Under general anaesthesia, an incision is made in the back area, cutting open into the vertebral canal. After moving the dura and the nerves in the area, the soft part of the damaged disc is removed. This takes the pressure off the nerve in the back. The skin wound is then closed up with stitches or clips.
There are minimally invasive surgical techniques for disc removal, including microdiscectomy, where a magnifying instrument or special microscope to view the disc is used.
DURATION
The procedure takes about 1-2 hours. Hospital stay of 3-5 days may be required.
RECOVERY
Regular exercise and other instructions are to be followed. Normal activities may be resumed in four to six weeks.
RISKS
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Injury to the surrounding nerves and blood vessels
- Leakage of spinal fluid