Backaches
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
The good news about surgical treatments for back pain is
twofold: 1) Less than 1 percent of those who suffer from back pain ever
need it. 2) Medical advances have made back surgery easier to
tolerate and recover from, with more optimistic prospects for recovery
than ever before. At present, many experts agree that more back
surgery than was medically necessary was performed in the past, with
too many of the recipients not benefiting from it. Some even
became worse as a result. Today the standard for back surgery is
that an individual has a clearly defined medical condition with a
specific solution that will provide clear benefits.
Below we will look at the three most common types of
back surgery: disc surgery, spine stabilization and creating additional
space in the spine.
DISC SURGERY
There are general standards that must be met before
one can be a candidate for disc surgery, a procedure that is usually
done when a disc is herniated (protrudes from its normal spot) and
causing severe discomfort.
A) An MIR or CT scan reveals that a disc is pressing against the root
of a nerve.
B) Persistent pain is experienced despite the use of more conservative
measures, such as weight loss, exercise, and ergonomic measures.
C) Severe pain is radiating down the leg or into the buttock, despite
conservative interventions of physical therapy or medications.
D) Neurological warning signs are observed, such as the loss of
reflexes or bodily control. These may be indicators of a surgical
emergency.
Once the need for disc surgery has been established there are a number
of approaches available:
1 Discectomy: This is the most frequently performed back
operation. In general, an incision is made over the disc and a
part, or all of it, is removed in order to relieve pressure on the
nerve.
2 Microdiscectomy: The procedure is much the same as for a
discectomy. The difference is that a smaller incision is made
because magnification is used to enlarge the view of the target space.
3 Laser Decompression: A needle is inserted into the disc and a portion
of it is destroyed with a laser. This relieves pressure on the
nerve. The advantage of the procedure is that it is less invasive
than traditional surgeries and can be performed on an outpatient basis.
4 Percutaneous Removal: A small tube called an endoscope is inserted
into the back and used to remove portions of the disc. This
allows the surgeon to pinpoint the problem and leave the surrounding
area intact. This, too, can be performed on an outpatient basis.
5 Chemonucleolysis: This is an alternative to taking out part or all of
a disc. A preparation from papaya plants, called chymopapain, is
injected and has the effect of decreasing the size of a disc, with the
intention of relieving nerve pressure.
Spine
Stabilization
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This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.