Back Surgery

Back Surgery

Back surgery usually becomes an option only after several weeks or months of conservative treatment have proven ineffective. Chronic pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness associated with spinal nerve compression can be debilitating, but these symptoms often can be managed using pain medication, exercise, physical therapy, and other nonsurgical methods. Except in the most extreme cases of back pain, a doctor will only recommend surgery after all conservative methods have been exhausted.

Minimally Invasive, Outpatient Procedures

Should your doctor recommend that you consider back surgery, it is imperative that you conduct thorough research into your options. Ask your doctor about the risks of open back surgery, which often requires the removal of a significant portion of the spinal anatomy and the insertion of metal hardware to permanently fuse vertebrae together. It‘s also important to understand that open back surgery might not be your only option. Many degenerative spine conditions, such as osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease, can be treated at Laser Spine Institute with minimally invasive procedures on an outpatient basis. Our four main procedures are:

• Foraminotomy – used to relieve pressure on nerves that are compressed within the intervertebral foramen, the space where nerve roots exit the spine.
• Laminotomy – used to create more space for the spinal cord by removing part of the lamina, thereby releasing a compressed nerve or nerves.
• Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy – the removal of herniated or bulging disc material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord. This procedure is an alternative to spinal fusion surgery.
• Facet thermal ablation – a laser is used to deaden the pain-causing nerve of facet joints, which are structures that connect the vertebrae.

The Leader in Endoscopic Spine Surgery™

From the moment you begin your first consultation with a member of Laser Spine Institute, you‘ll recognize the compassion and commitment we have for your well-being. We‘ve helped tens of thousands of patients rediscover their lives without back and neck pain. Contact Laser Spine Institute to learn more, or for a complimentary review of an MRI or CT scan.