A microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive way to relieve nerve pressure, usually when it is caused by a herniated disc in the lower back area. What this means is steps are taken to achieve the intended goal with less disruption and increased accuracy. For this reason, the procedure itself is often completed fairly quickly. This article discusses how long a microdiscectomy usually takes to complete and what can be expected with this procedure.
Traditional Microdiscectomy
If you have a traditional microdiscectomy, the procedure usually takes 1–2 hours to complete. This is a type of spine surgery performed while you are on your stomach with your face resting on the table.
The surgeon uses an operating microscope to view the irritated nerve during the procedure so any materials compressing the nerves can be removed. The surgeon may also use operating glasses called loupes. The surgeon may remove part of a spinal joint called a facet joint as well to provide better access to the affected nerve. The incisions made to perform this version of a discectomy are smaller than the incisions that are common with an open procedure, which further minimizes the time needed to perform the surgery.
Endoscopic Microdiscectomy
An endoscopic microdiscectomy is a variation of a traditional microdiscectomy done with a specialized piece of equipment called an endoscope that allows for direct visualization of the spine and the affected disc. An endoscope is essentially a thin tube with a powerful light and tiny camera attached. This approach to disc surgery typically takes about an hour to complete. Also, you should not experience too much discomfort after the procedure is done. This applies with a traditional microdiscectomy as well.
Removal of Only a Part of the Disc
With any type of microdiscectomy, the aim is typically to only remove part of the affected disc and not the entire disc. This is another reason the procedure is often completed within an hour or two. By removing only the part of the disc irritating a nearby nerve, there is no need for an accompanying fusion procedure as long as the spine is still stable.
Shorter Healing and Recovery Times
The initial healing time after a microdiscectomy is usually much shorter than the healing time after an open discectomy. The main reason is because of the smaller incisions. Also, there is not as much tissue and muscle manipulation or movement required. However, a microdiscectomy is still performed under general anesthesia, so you should expect to remain in the hospital or surgical center until the anesthesia wears off. Typically, patients need to be fully awake and capable of safely standing and walking before being discharged.
Recovery after you are back at home also generally is not as long and involved as an open discectomy. However, the speed with which you are able to fully recover after having a microdiscectomy does depend on several patient-specific factors, including:
• Your overall health
• How well you respond to post-surgery physical therapy
• What your regular routine involves
• Your preferred activity level
Both the time required to perform a microdiscectomy and back surgery recovery time vary among individuals and depend on factors such as disc height and the size of the hole left in the outer ring of the disc after surgery. If the hole in the disc is larger than a standard pencil eraser, the patient has a significant risk of experiencing a reherniation, which often requires additional surgery. Fortunately, there is a new treatment available. Barricaid is a bone-anchored device shown to reduce reherniations by closing the hole in the disc after a discectomy, and 95 percent of Barricaid patients did not undergo a reoperation due to reherniation in a 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, you may 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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