Back Surgery Options

Back surgery is usually the final option when treating back pain. The alternatives of physical therapy, cortisone injections, pain management and many others have usually been tried before you get to the point of surgery. The procedure that is right for you will depend upon many factors, which your doctor will discuss with you.

Diskectomy

• A diskectomy is performed to relieve the irritation and inflammation of a nerve. This procedure removes the portion of the herniated disk that is involved. In order to gain access to the disk, this surgery typically involves full or partial removal of the back portion of the lamina or vertebra.

Laminectomy

• Laminectomy is a procedure that removes the bones covering the spinal canal. To relieve the nerve pressure caused by spinal stenosis, the spinal canal is enlarged.

Spinal Fusion

• Spinal fusion permanently connects two or more bones to add stability to your spine. Painful motion between vertebrae from conditions such as degenerated disk disease or injury to a disk can be eliminated with this surgery.

Vertebroplasty

• During the procedure of vertebroplasty, bone cement is injected into compressed vertebrae. This procedure can help stabilize fractures and relieve pain for fractured and compressed vertebrae.

Kyphoplasty

• Kyphoplasty is similar to vertebroplasty, but it is more expensive and has an additional step. Before the bone cement is injected into the compressed vertebrae, a balloon-like device is first put in. It is then inflated to expand the area of compression. The cement is then injected to keep the space permanently in place.

Artificial Disks

• A treatment alternative for spinal fusion is artificial disks. This procedure is done to elevate the pain that a degenerated or injured disk causes when there is movement between two vertebrae. These devices are relatively new, and they are still being studied to see what role they might play in treating spinal disk disease.