How is a discectomy performed?
A open discectomy is
performed under general
anesthesia. The procedure
takes about an hour or
so, depending on the
extent of the disc
herniation, the size of
the patient, and other
factors. A discectomy is
done with the patient
lying face down, and the
back pointing upwards.
In order to remove the fragment of herniated disc, your surgeon will make an incision over the center of your back. The incision is usually about 3 centimeters in length. Your surgeon then carefully dissects the muscles away from the bone of your spine. Then using special instruments, your surgeon removes a small amount of bone and ligament from the back of the spine. This part of the procedure is called a laminotomy.
Once this bone and ligament is removed, your surgeon can see, and protect, the spinal nerves. Once the disc herniation is found, the herniated disc fragment is removed. Depending on the appearance and the condition of the remaining disc, more disc fragments may be removed in hopes of avoiding another fragment of disc from herniating. Once the disc has been cleaned out from the area around the nerves, the incision is closed and a bandage is applied.
Foramenotomy - A foramenotomy is also a procedure used to relieve pressure on a nerve, but in this case, the nerve is being pinched by more than just herniated disc. A foramenotomy removes a portion of bone and other tissue that may be compressing the nerve as it exits the spinal column.
Laminectomy - A laminectomy is done to relieve pressure on the spinal cord itself. A laminectomy is most commonly used to treat conditions such as spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. Depending on the amount of bone removed, this procedure may be done with a spinal fusion to prevent instability.
