1. What to Expect from Minimally
Invasive Surgery for a Herniated Disc

2. For many people, minimally invasive surgery for a
herniated disc represents their best chance for lasting
pain relief without undergoing a highly invasive open
spine operation. In recent years, with the rapid
advancement of endoscopic technology, lasers, and other
medical technology, these types of procedures have
become more ubiquitous. Now, a procedure that might
have previously required months of rehabilitation can be
done on an outpatient procedure. However, with all of
that said, it is important to understand that any type of
surgical procedure should still be considered the
treatment of last resort and is only recommended when
all other nonsurgical techniques are exhausted.

3. A Brief Overview of the Spinal
Anatomy
The spinal column in the back and neck is responsible for
facilitating the full range of motion that we often take for
granted during the course of the day. Each vertebra in the
spinal column is separated by intervertebral discs, connected
by vertebral facet joints, and supported by various muscles
groups, ligaments, and tendons.
The problem with the spinal anatomy is that it is susceptible
to deteriorating as an individual ages. This is why most people
associate minor aches and pains and a discernible loss of
flexibility with the natural aging process. However,
occasionally this normal deterioration can turn into a
degenerative spine condition, which may warrant treatment
in order to alleviate the patient’s discomfort.

4. What is a Herniated Disc?
The intervertebral discs in the spine are tasked with
helping adjacent vertebrae articulate against one another
comfortably. These discs are made of a tough outer shell
(annulus fibrosus) and gel-like nuclear material (nucleus
pulposus). A herniated disc refers to a condition where a
tear or rupture in the annulus fibrosus allows the nucleus
pulposus to seep out of the disc and enter the spinal
column. This condition isn’t necessarily symptomatic, but
if the herniated disc material comes in contact with a
nerve root or the spinal cord, a number of symptoms,
such as chronic pain or diminished reflexes, can develop.

5. Conservative Treatment
More often than not, the chronic
pain that may accompany a
degenerated disc can usually be
managed with a carefully planned
regimen of conservative, nonsurgical
treatment, rather than a minimally
invasive surgery for a herniated disc.
Specific treatment options tend to
vary from patient to patient
depending on their specific
diagnosis, but more often than not,
some combination of nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatories, low-impact
exercises, hydrotherapy, heat
therapy and cold therapy can
normally provide the pain relief the
patient requires over the course of
several weeks or months.

6. Further Treatment
If, however, nonsurgical treatment fails to offer the lasting pain relief that the patient
requires, they may consider minimally invasive surgery for a herniated disc. Unlike
traditional open spine surgeries, these procedures are usually done on an outpatient
basis and require very little post-operative rehabilitation in order to get back to full
strength.
Yet, perhaps the biggest differentiator between these types of procedures and major
spine surgery is the minimal amount of trauma they cause the body. Historically, when a
spine surgeon needed access to a deteriorated intervertebral disc, they’d have to dissect
muscles, tendons, and other soft tissue to get in position. A large percentage of the
recovery process from this surgery was then recuperating from this incision.
A minimally invasive procedure, on the other hand, requires a very small incision and soft
tissue is gently pushed aside – rather than cut – and all of the surgical tools necessary are
inserted through a small tube. The collateral damage to the body is significantly reduced,
which also limits the risk of scar tissue, hemorrhaging, infection, and other issues.
To learn more about this state-of-the-art approach to spine surgery, speak with your
doctor. Not everyone is a candidate for an endoscopic procedure – certain individuals
may require a spinal fusion surgery instead – but for a select segment of the population,
they can be an exciting new option.