Percutaneous lumbar discectomy (PLD) is a minimally invasive procedure during which a needle is inserted through the skin and into a bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar region, or lower back. The damaged disc material is then removed. A probe outfitted with a surgical cutting and suction device or vaporizing laser is inserted through a needle to physically remove some of a bulging or herniated disc’s material. This removal may relieve pressure exerted on the surrounding nerve roots or the spinal cord. A PLD is also known as percutaneous disc decompression because only the partial removal of disc material...

Patients who are dealing with chronic lower back pain due to a condition affecting the lumbar (lower) spinal region may be recommended for a posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). Before undergoing a surgical procedure such as a PLIF, it is important to educate yourself as a patient about the potential risks and difficulties that can accompany it. PLIF is a spine fusion technique where a damaged spinal disc is removed and replaced with a bone graft and metal hardware. The purpose of this surgery is to relieve the pain associated with a bulging or herniated disc and provide stability to...

Lateral lumbar interbody fusion is a spinal fusion surgery used to treat certain severe spinal conditions. The purpose of an open lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF) is to release the pressure placed on nerves by decompressing an impacted nerve in the spinal canal. This nerve can be impacted by several spine conditions, including herniated disc, bulging disc and many other degenerative conditions. If you have been recommended to undergo a lumbar spinal fusion, you should research the different types of lumbar fusion procedures available to you. While traditional open back fusion is the most commonly referred to type of lumbar fusion,...

Patients suffering from a bulging or herniated disc may experience chronic pain due to compressed nerves within the spinal column. Often, these patients are recommended for a traditional discectomy to remove a portion of the disc causing the pain. However, an alternative to a discectomy is a microdiscectomy. Microdiscectomy is a procedure in which the surgeon approaches the surgery using a microscope, entering through a small incision. Though this procedure is still invasive, it is much less invasive than traditional open neck and back procedures. During the microdiscectomy, the surgeon will remove the disc material pinching the nerve, ultimately removing the source...

If you have been diagnosed with chronic lower back pain and conservative treatments have not proven effective, anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) may be recommended. This procedure is used as a treatment option for many spinal conditions, including degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis. Like other forms of spinal fusion, anterior lumbar interbody fusion is designed to stabilize the spine and reduce lower back pain. What is an ALIF? During an anterior lumbar interbody fusion procedure, the patient is placed on his or her back and the surgeon approaches the surgery through a 3- to 5-inch incision in the patient’s abdomen. After...

When patients are experiencing extreme pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in their neck or back as well as possible instances of bowel or bladder dysfunction, a discectomy may become a suitable treatment option for them. Though surgical procedures should be considered as a last resort for patients experiencing neck or back pain, at times surgery becomes a necessary option if conservative treatments, such as pain medication, low-impact exercise and physical therapy have failed to produce effective results. When a disc is bulging or herniating, the disc material may press up against the spinal cord or nerve roots, causing the patient...

Patients who are experiencing severe pain due to compression fractures in the spine may be recommended to undergo kyphoplasty — a procedure used to treat patients who, due to compression fractures, are experiencing the collapse of bone in the spine. During the procedure, the patient is first placed face down while the surgeon inserts a large needle-like tool into the spinal area. The next step is for the surgeon to insert a balloon into the area through the needle, slowly inflating it in order to raise the fallen bone back into its proper location. Once the bone is back into...

Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion — advantages The lumbar (lower) portion of the spine is particularly susceptible to spine conditions because this area undergoes so much stress from supporting the upper body and remaining flexible enough for movement. In fact, most people by the age of 70 will have some form of lower back condition, such as spondylosis or spondylolisthesis, which results from the natural aging process of the spine. If you have a spine condition that causes you pain and discomfort in your lower back, you should consider all options to treat your condition and find lasting relief. Conservative methods of treatment are...

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a method of treatment in which a surgically implanted pulse generator sends electrical currents through the spine in order to interfere with nerve impulses that cause chronic pain. The pulse generator is inserted in the abdomen, and small, coated wires run to the point in the spinal canal where the pain originates. The level of electricity (pulse strength) depends on the severity of the pain, and the patient activates the pulse generator for one to two hours at a time, three or four times a day. This method of treatment may be recommended for people...

— treatment for nerve compression in the spinal canal   Most patients experience some form of spinal stenosis as they age. Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal and is part of a group of degenerative spine conditions that cause pain by compressing a nerve root in the spinal canal. While most degenerative spine conditions can be treated with conservative methods of treatment like pain medication, physical therapy and chiropractic care, more advanced cases of spinal stenosis might require spine surgery to find lasting pain relief. If you have been diagnosed with spinal stenosis and you have not...