Spine-related nerves can be affected by many things, one of which being a herniated spinal disc. To better understand the relationship between the spine-related nerves and a herniated disc, “decompression” and “discectomy” must be defined. These two procedures are not the same, even though they accomplish the same goal: freeing up a nerve that is compressed or irritated, often by a herniated disc. This article offers a look at both procedures to give you a better idea of which option might be right for your situation.
Spinal Decompression (Laminectomy)
With spinal decompression surgery, the affected nerve is freed by removing a bony part of a vertebra called a lamina. The procedure is referred to as a laminectomy, and it is often performed to relieve pressure on nerves caused by spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spine that produces symptoms similar to what might be experienced with a herniated spinal disc, including:
• Muscle weakness
• Chronic pain
• Numbness and tingling sensations that extend to the arms or legs
A laminectomy is sometimes performed at the same time as a discectomy if there is a need to access the affected part of the spinal disc with less difficulty and patient risk. Otherwise, the two procedures are usually separate and performed for two different reasons. A laminectomy, as mentioned above, is often performed if a patient has nerve pain from abnormal spinal narrowing.
It is also worth noting there is a nonsurgical form of spinal decompression, which is performed with a specially designed traction table that shifts spinal discs around in a way that relieves nerve pressure. The difference between this form of spinal decompression and surgery is that it can often be effective for individuals who have herniated spinal discs. The main benefit is relief without the need for surgery, although there is a surgical procedure specifically for spinal disc herniation, called a discectomy.
Discectomy
A discectomy may be recommended if a patient has chronic pain and related symptoms associated with a herniated spinal disc. Discectomy surgery is performed primarily for herniated disc pain, although it can also be performed if you have other spinal disc issues affecting a nearby nerve root.
A discectomy is performed by removing all or part of the affected disc. Typically, an effort is made to only remove enough material to relieve nerve pressure. This is done to avoid the need to have an accompanying fusion procedure. A discectomy can be a standard procedure or a minimally invasive version, which is known as a microdiscectomy. With a discectomy, spinal bones are not disturbed.
Determining Which Option Is Right for You
Both procedures can be beneficial under the right circumstances. The option your doctor recommends for you is largely dependent on the cause of your discomfort. If a herniated disc is the source of your nerve-based symptoms, a discectomy is likely to be recommended. On the other hand, if you have a general narrowing of the spinal canal, spinal decompression may be best for your situation.
Although discectomy surgery is generally a very successful procedure, a hole is left in the outer wall of the disc. Patients with a large hole in the outer ring of the disc are more than twice as likely to reherniate after surgery. A new treatment, Barricaid, which is a bone-anchored device proven to reduce the risk of reherniation, was specifically designed to close the large hole often left in the spinal disc after discectomy. In a large-scale study, 95 percent of Barricaid patients did not undergo a reoperation due to reherniation in the 2-year study timeframe. This treatment is done immediately following the discectomy—during the same operation—and does not require any additional incisions or time in the hospital.
If you have any questions about the Barricaid treatment or how to get access to Barricaid, ask your doctor or contact us at 844-288-7474.
For full benefit/risk information, please visit: https://www.barricaid.com/instructions.
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