Operation Herniation of the spine. Discectomy

Intervertebral hernia - this is what often hides behind the pain in the back and legs, as well as the muscular weakness of the lower extremities. With the intervertebral hernia, special disks located between the vertebrae (the bones that make up the spine) are, as it were, squeezed outward. And, frankly, this would not be a particular problem, if not for one "but" - spinal nerves that run very close to the edges of these discs.

Problems associated with hernia spine, originate here. An extruded part of the intervertebral disc can squeeze either the spinal cord itself or the nerves surrounding it. It is clear that in neither case, in either case, the patient's life becomes neither better nor more fun.

Treatment of a hernia of the spine can be carried out in different ways, including with the help of operations. Operation of a hernia of the spine, conducted by skilled surgeons in an adequately equipped medical center, will certainly be able to heal the patient and return him the joy of movement.

One of the types of operations on the hernia of the spine is the so-called "discectomy." With discectomy, that part of the intervertebral disc, which is destroyed by the hernia and, as a result, squeezes the spinal canal, is removed. Thus, the pressure on the channel decreases, which brings the patient a long-awaited relief. In addition to the directly affected area, during the operation, free fragments of the disk from the space between the vertebrae are also removed.

Of course, such an operation is carried out only under general anesthesia. The total duration of the operation varies from case to case, which is affected by the purely individual factors associated with the patient and the severity of his condition, but in general the discectomy lasts for about an hour. Due to the fact that the operation is performed on the spine, the patient must lie on his stomach. Preparations for the operation proceed as standard: tests, consultation of an anesthesiologist and no meal eight hours before surgery.

As a rule, after recovering from a spinal hernia operation, the patient is surprised to find that the pain in his legs that harassed him all this time has magically disappeared. However, it often enough happens that the pain after the operation is not immediate, but gradually disappears in a few weeks. In addition, pain is also added around the area of operation - but there is nothing supernatural about this. After the operation, the patient may stay for a certain period in the hospital for further observation. After discharge, he will be shown wearing a lumbar corset. Simple physical exercises, like walking and sitting straight, will be useful. Displaced discectomy should be avoided by lifting weights and turning the back. In general, it is recommended to avoid physical exertion for the recovery period after surgery.

However, no matter how good the operation of the hernia of the spine, and it has its risks. Firstly, the operation, unfortunately, does not give a 100% guarantee. Approximately in 10-15% of cases there is a relapse of the intervertebral hernia. Moreover, only 9 out of 10 patients experience at least some relief after surgery, that is, 10% of those who undergo surgery will still suffer from a hernia. Other risks of discectomy include leakage of cerebrospinal fluid, bleeding and infection. Of course, you can cope with all this, but in this case, the patient will need to spend some more time in the hospital, or even postpone an additional operation.