Who Qualifies for Herniated Disc Surgery?

The majority of people who suffer a herniated disc in their spine will recover without any need for surgery. If you want more accurate figures here they are: 90% of people will not require surgery with 50% healing happening in one month. Within 6 months 96% of the patients who do not require herniated disc surgery will recover fully.

When herniated disc surgery is suggested to treat the damaged disc, it is performed with the purpose of relieving pain and improving normal movement and spinal function. The ideal patient to be considered for herniated disc surgery should meet the following criteria.

  1. Your medical history shows that you have persistent leg pain that has not improved with at least 6 weeks of conservative treatment methods.
  2. Results of a current medical examination have shown that you suffer from weakness, loss of motion, or abnormal sensations such as pins and needles feelings.
  3. Diagnostic testing such as an MRI, a CT scan, or a myelogram indicates the presence of a herniated disc that is surgically treatable.

Surgery should really only be considered for people who suffer from specific symptoms and conditions. The decision to proceed with surgery (in any case) should not be taken lightly because complications from surgery may occur, surgery might fail, and you may have more pain after the surgery than before. Your surgeon should take the following results into consideration before deciding if you would be a qualified candidate:

  • Diagnostic test results
  • Physical examinations
  • Patients progress with nonsurgical treatment
  • Face-to-face discussions between the patient and the surgeon covering possible options and expected results

Several other factors that are not condition-related should be taken into consideration as well: the age and overall health of the patient, the severity of the patient’s symptoms, and the impact of the symptoms on the patient’s life. If the patient’s general health does not meet an acceptable standard, risk of complication may be much higher and recovery from herniated disc surgery may take longer. It is advisable that patients try to improve their general health before surgery is attempted. If the patient’s job requires a rapid recovery and the symptoms are keeping him or her from returning to work, surgery may be attempted sooner so the patient can return to gainful employment.

Herniated Disc Surgery Options

Listed below are a few herniated disc surgery options that are available to you. It is important that you are comfortable with both your choice of surgery and the surgeon performing it.

Laminectomy

A laminectomy is a surgical procedure performed to relieve pressure or stress on the spinal cord or surrounding nerve roots. There are two approaches to a laminectomy: laminotomy or full laminectomy. During a laminotomy procedure the surgeon will only remove a portion of the lamina (a protective arch spanning the vertebra) whereas during a laminectomy the surgeon will remove the full lamina.

Discectomy

A discectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove a herniated disc. The surgeon will either remove just the damaged portion of the herniated disc or the entire herniated disc to avoid further injury. A spinal fusion is often required alongside a discectomy to correct the spinal instability that the discectomy may cause.

Spinal Fusion

Once a disc has been removed from the spinal structure the surgeon needs to replace the stability that was taken away. By fusing the vertebrae above and below the disc area, the surgeon creates one immobile spinal section. Although this procedure has many positives, it has a few downsides. Because a spinal segment is immobilized, the spinal segments above and below will feel more of the day-to-day stresses of motion. This may lead to further injury of the discs above and below the original herniated disc. The stresses placed on these vertebrae worsen as multilevel fusions are introduced to the spinal column. It is often recommended that other surgical options are explored prior to undergoing spinal fusion surgery because of its permanent nature.