Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease

Although most degenerative disc disease patients respond well to nonsurgical treatments, some patients need surgery. Surgery should be considered only after you’ve tried several months of nonsurgical treatment for your lower back pain. Many surgical procedures can be performed using minimally-invasive techniques. These techniques result in smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less pain after surgery, and a faster recovery.

If your spine specialist feels surgical intervention is needed, he or she may use one of the following spinal surgery techniques:

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: This procedure reaches the cervical spine (neck) through a small incision in the front of the neck. The intervertebral disc is removed and replaced with a small plug of bone or other graft substitute, and in time, will fuse the vertebrae.

Cervical corpectomy: This procedure removes a portion of the vertebra and adjacent intervertebral discs, which allows for decompression of the cervical spinal cord and spinal nerves. A bone graft, and, in some cases, a metal plate and screws, stabilizes the spine.

Facetectomy: In this case, a part of the facet (a bony structure in the spinal canal) is removed to increase the space surrounding it.

Foraminotomy: A procedure that enlarges the foramen (the area where the nerve roots exit the spinal canal) to increase the size of the nerve pathway. This surgery can be done alone or in conjunction with a laminotomy.

Laminoplasty: This procedure reaches the cervical spine (neck) from the back of the neck. The spinal canal is then reconstructed to increase room for the spinal cord.

Laminotomy: This procedure removes only a small portion of the lamina (a part of the vertebra) to relieve pressure on the nerve roots.

Microdiscectomy: A procedure that removes a disc through a very small incision with the aid of microscope. The remainder of the surgery, like more traditional discectomy, involves the removal of a portion of the lamina, the protection of affected nerves, and the removal of any herniated disc material that impinges on nerves

Spinal laminectomy: Treats spinal stenosis by relieving pressure on the spinal cord. A part of the lamina (a part of the vertebra) is trimmed or removed to widen the spinal canal and create more space for the spinal nerves.

For most patients, degenerative disc disease can be treated well with nonsurgical treatments. However, if your spine specialist recommends surgery, always ask the purpose of the operation, results you can expect, and possible complications. Feel free to ask for a second opinion if back surgery is suggested; this is your right as a patient.