A microdiscectomy procedure is the newest, most cutting-edge method of treating a herniated disc. Through microdiscectomy, the damaged areas of the spinal discs that are causing pain by pressing on spinal nerves can be treated with minimal incisions and post-operative pain. Tradi-tional open discectomy, on the other hand, requires a large incision and may involve significantly more blood loss, risk of infection, and post-operative recovery time and pain. Dr. Todd Gravori and his team of expert, board-certified spinal surgeons at ProMed SPINE in Los Angeles have years of experience performing state-of-the-art, technologically advanced procedures such as microdiscectomy and have a very good track record of success. Patients who visit ProMed SPINE can rest assured that they are getting the very best and latest in spinal care.
Microdiscectomy Procedure
A herniated disc occurs when the soft cushion that lies between vertebrae and acts as a shock absorber is damaged in some way, causing the soft inner material to spill out and press against the nerves in the spinal column and leading to back or neck pain. Microdiscectomy takes care of this problem in a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that takes only around 45 minutes to per-form. Microdiscectomy does not require general anesthesia, so patients are free to leave the hos-pital much earlier than they could otherwise. General anesthesia takes a few hours to recover from and can lead to side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, so being able to avoid it is a big benefit for many people.
Following a microdiscectomy procedure, the patient can leave the hospital and return home al-most immediately. Recovery time is also much shorter than it would be with a traditional open surgery. Many people report feeling much better immediately after the surgery, and often they can start walking and performing everyday tasks again within a very short period of time.
Next, read about Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery.