Herniated Disc Repair

Our Approach to Herniated Disc Repair:

Traditional disc herniation surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

Definition:

A herniated disc is sometimes referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. It is often the result of an injury or trauma to the spine.

Your spinal column is made up of bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by small discs consisting of a tough outer layer (annulus) and a soft, jelly-like inner layer (nucleus). These discs act as shock absorbers, protecting the spine and nerves from the stress of everyday tasks – as well as strenuous work such as heavy lifting.

When a disc “herniates,” a tear or weakness in the annulus allows the jelly-like nucleus to push out into the spinal canal. If it puts pressure on a spinal nerve, the herniated disc can cause pain, numbness or weakness in the back, legs or arms – depending on where the disc is located. Herniated discs are most common in the lower spine, but about 10% occur in the neck.

You can have a herniated disc without knowing it – herniated or bulging discs sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disc problem. But some herniated discs can be painful.

Symptoms:

• Sciatica – a radiating, aching pain, sometimes with tingling and numbness, that starts in the buttock and extends down the back of one leg.
• Pain, numbness or weakness in the lower back and one leg, or in the neck, shoulder, chest or arm.
• Lower back pain that worsens when you sit, cough or sneeze.

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Tags: Bulging Disc, Herniated Disc, Laser Spine Surgery