There are different levels of severity for a herniated disc. Experts always suggest that you undergo all the treatment options first before considering herniated disc surgery. If you have gone through all the treatment processes and feel that your quality of life has been diminished to nothing and you live life with constant excruciating pain, then herniated disc surgery may be the next step to take.
Herniated disc surgery is a procedure known as a disectomy. A disectomy is when surgeon creates an incision in the back, about 1.0 to 1.5 inches, and removes part of the disc that is pinching the nerve. The surgeon may remove a little more of the damaged disk to prevent any recurrences. The herniated disc surgery is performed with the patient lying on his stomach and takes about 1 to 2 hours while the patient is put under general anesthesia.
Recovery time can take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks. Although minimally invasive procedures can be successful for the right candidates there are possible issues that can come about after surgery. These include infection, spinal fluid leak, bleeding, and herniation of the disc again. Hospitalization and surgery may be required to fix these issues.
