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Spine Center
Microdiscectomy

Microdiscectomy is one of the latest surgical techniques used to treat herniated discs, most often lumbar discs. The procedure has proven to be 90 to 95 percent successful in relieving pain for individuals suffering from herniated discs. Many patients who undergo the procedure report at least some degree of relief from back and/or leg pain immediately after having the procedure.

A microdiscectomy is performed through a very small incision-usually only one to one-and-a-half inches-in the lower back. In the procedure, a small portion of the bone over the nerve root and/or disc material from under the nerve root is removed to relieve neural impingement and create more room for the nerve to heal. Because the procedure leaves nearly all of the joints, ligaments, and muscles intact, it does not change the mechanical structure of the patient’s spine.

This procedure is usually performed either on an outpatient basis or with an overnight stay in the hospital. Patients can undergo a microdiscectomy under spinal or general anesthesia. Afterwards, most patients return to their regular daily activities relatively quickly.

For more information on this procedure, or to schedule a spine assessment, call the Holy Cross Center for Spine Care at 301-754-7929.