Lumbar Discectomy

Spinal discs are found between the vertebrae and consist of a rubbery material similar to cartilage. They act as shock absorbers and provide flexibility to the spine. A sudden stress on the spine - for example lifting a heavy object - can sometimes cause a piece of a disc to rupture or herniate into the spinal canal. Herniated discs cause symptoms when they press on a nerve root or the spinal cord.

Compression of lumbar nerve roots by a herniated disc can cause lumbar radiculopathy, which may consist of buttock or leg pain, weakness, sensory changes, and bowel, bladder, or sexual dysfunction.

Most herniated discs will dissolve away over a few months. Treatments such as physical therapy, steroid injections, and nerve pain medicines (e.g. gabapentin) can help reduce symptoms in the period while the disc fragment is dissolving.

If a patient has persistent symptoms after a few months or if the symptoms are severe (e.g. inability to walk or urinate, severe weakness, or cauda equina syndrome), the preferred surgical treatment is a lumbar discectomy.

In a lumbar discectomy, the herniated disc fragment is removed through a small incision in the back. The remainder of the normal disc is left untouched. Symptom relief is rapid. Lumbar discectomy is usually performed as an outpatient (day) surgery.

If you live near Denver and have a herniated disc, please consider meeting me in consultation to learn about treatment options.