Percutaneous Discectomy for a Lumbar Herniated Disc
Percutaneous Discectomy for a Lumbar Herniated DiscSkip to the navigationSurgery OverviewPercutaneous means "through the skin" or
using a very small cut. Discectomy is surgery to remove herniated
disc material that is pressing on a
nerve root or on the spinal cord. There are many different kinds of percutaneous discectomy procedures. All of them use small instruments that are inserted between the vertebrae and into the middle of the
disc. Most of the time they are done in a surgery center using local or general anesthesia. X-rays help guide the movement of the
instruments during surgery. The surgeon can remove disc tissue by either: - Cutting it out.
- Sucking out the center of the disc.
- Using lasers to burn or destroy the disc.
What To Expect After SurgeryYou can expect to go home on the same
day you have the procedure. You can use prescription medicine to control pain
while you recover. For several weeks after surgery, you'll need to avoid long periods
of sitting and avoid bending, twisting, and lifting. Why It Is DoneLumbar (low back) percutaneous discectomy may be done
if: - Your medical history, physical exam, and diagnostic tests
(such as MRI, CT scan, or myelogram) show that the disc is bulging, and the
material inside the disc hasn't ruptured into the spinal
canal.
- Pain and nerve damage have not improved after 4 or more
weeks of nonsurgical treatment.
- Your symptoms are very bad and get in the way of doing normal activities.
- There are signs of serious nerve damage in your leg that may be
getting worse. These signs include severe weakness, loss of coordination, or
loss of feeling.
- Lumbar Herniated Disc: Should I Have Surgery?
It should not be done if you have:
- Pieces of disc material in the
spinal canal (as seen on a CT scan or MRI).
- Narrowing of the spinal
canal (spinal stenosis).
How Well It WorksAlthough surgery for a lumbar herniated disc doesn't work for everyone, it works well for many people.footnote 1 RisksDuring a percutaneous discectomy, the surgeon
has no way of seeing the herniated disc or the pinched nerve. The surgery might not remove the disc tissue. So there is no guarantee
that pressure on the nerve will improve. There are risks with anesthesia. What To Think AboutMore research needs to be done to compare this surgery to other types of discectomy and to nonsurgical treatment. Complete the surgery information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this surgery. ReferencesCitations- Tay BKB, et al. (2014). Disorders, diseases, and injuries of the spine. In HB Skinner, PJ McMahon, eds., Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Orthopedics, 5th ed., pp. 156-229. New York: McGraw-Hill.
CreditsByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerWilliam H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerKenneth J. Koval, MD - Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma Current as ofMarch 21, 2017 Current as of:
March 21, 2017 Tay BKB, et al. (2014). Disorders, diseases, and injuries of the spine. In HB Skinner, PJ McMahon, eds., Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Orthopedics, 5th ed., pp. 156-229. New York: McGraw-Hill. Last modified on: 8 September 2017
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