Most Common Types Of Back Surgery To Look Into

Back of a man from mid chest up. He doesn't have a top on.

Experiencing back pain even for a day can be very stressful. So, just imagine living with back pain every day! Luckily, besides many treatment types, there is also effective back surgery that can provide patients with lowered pain or even completely eliminate it. So, if living a pain-free life is something that might interest you, here are the most common types of back surgery that are available today.

Discectomy

People who have a herniated disc might benefit from a discectomy. Our spine has discs between every vertebra which absorb shock and provide cushioning. In some cases, a disc can slip out of the place or become herniated putting strong pressure on the nerves in the spine which results in strong pain. In order to eliminate this pain, a surgeon can remove parts of the disc or the entire disc. This way, the pressure will be relieved and pain will be gone. Also, the possibility of the pain coming back is small, because the disc is removed or cut smaller.

Disc Replacement

During this procedure, a damaged spinal disc is removed and replaced by an artificial one that will continue to provide cushioning. Unlike some other procedures on this list, disc replacement doesn’t affect the movement of your spine and the recovery time is often shorter and easier. However, the main con of this procedure is the fact that the new disc could slip or dislocate, which might require additional repair.

Spinal Fusion

Spinal fusion is probably the most common back pain surgery type. Back pain is typically triggered by the motion of the joints, so during this type of surgery, your surgeon will fuse bones together, rendering them immobile and unable to cause pain. When vertebrae are fused and joints can’t move, there will be no more pain. While spinal fusion is very effective in pain reduction, it can only be used in certain areas of the spine. Also, since the spine allows the motion of the body, too many fused vertebrae can limit mobility and even cause additional pain. While all spinal surgeries bring certain risks, there are excellent advances in medicine that can minimize negative effects. Also, if you choose a surgeon like the experienced Dr Timothy Steel, you can expect to experience the best scanning technology, excellent care and very effective and quick results. Most of these procedures are performed on regular bases by Dr Steel and his colleagues, so there’s nothing to worry about.

Foraminotomy

This type of surgery can help relieve pain caused by a compressed nerve. The procedure is conducted by cutting away bone at the side of the vertebrae which widens the space where nerves lie. This additional room can relieve pressure and ease the back pain. However, this procedure has its cons. In some cases, it can cause reduced stability of the spine, so spinal fusion and foraminotomy can be performed simultaneously. That will also increase the recovery time after the surgery, but it will improve results.

Laminectomy

This procedure involves the removal of the lamina, a part of the bone that builds the vertebrae in the spine. Some ligaments and bone spurs can also be removed in the procedure. All in all, by removing bones and other components, extra space is created in the spine and some of the pressure placed on the nerves is eliminated (and with it, weakness and pain). In some cases, however, larger portions of bones have to be removed which can result in spinal instability which calls for spinal fusion. Also, bone spurs can grow back in some cases, even though usually laminectomy provides relief for years to come.

Interlaminar implant

This is a good alternative to more invasive laminectomy and fusion surgery. During this procedure, the surgeon inserts a U-shaped device between two vertebrae that help to keep the space open and reduce the pressure on spinal nerves. Interlaminar implantation is often done at the same time as laminectomy. The biggest advantage of this procedure is the fact that implants provide stability and allow normal spine movement unlike in spinal fusion (banding backwards can be harder though).

Thanks to new technologies and more advanced procedures, back surgery has never been this reliable and safe. So, if you want to relieve your back pain, check with an experienced surgeon and see if you’re eligible for any of these procedures.


Author Bio

Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in business and marketing related topics.

In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.

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