Spine Surgery

To correct compression fractures in the spine, a surgeon threads a needle into the affected bone and sends a balloon through the needle. The balloon is then inflated to create height in the vertebrae, and cement is pumped into the area to prevent a future collapse.

To perform this procedure, a spinal surgeon makes an incision in the back or the neck and removes the lamina, the portion of the bone that composes the vertebra in the spine.

The surgeon may remove bone spurs, disc fragments or soft tissue to relieve the pressure and pain caused by spinal stenosis. The surgeon may also perform a foraminotomy (decompression surgery) to create space in the area where nerves exit the spine and a spinal fusion to stabilize the spinal column.

During this procedure, a surgeon uses minimally invasive techniques to remove all or part of a herniated disc to alleviate pressure and reduce pain. To conduct the operation, a spinal surgeon:

1. Makes a small incision in the skin covering the spine
2. Moves the nerve root out of the way
3. Removes bone and ligament material to reach the disc that is compressing the nerve

The procedure usually takes 1 to 2 hours.

While microdiscectomy is usually outpatient surgery, some patients will stay in the hospital overnight. Pain is usually improved almost immediately after the surgery. Patients are encouraged to walk just a few hours after surgery.

This surgery effectively “welds” two or more vertebrae together within the lumbar and cervical spine, allowing them to heal together to restore stability and relieve motion pain. Spinal fusion, which can take between 2 and 8 hours, is usually performed for:

• Broken vertebrae
• Herniated discs
• Spinal weakness
• Spondylolisthesis
• Scoliosis

In addition to typical complications of surgery, such as bleeding and infection, spinal fusion risks include nerve damage.

Patients usually stay in the hospital for up to 3 days after spinal fusion. Pain is usually easily controlled, and the doctor may require that the patient wear a back brace or undergo physical therapy during the recovery process.

Patients may experience improvement of pain within days, but it takes months for the spine to heal.

Decompression refers to any of the procedures that can alleviate symptoms of compression on the spinal cord. Common surgeries include discectomy and laminotomy, or laminectomy.

Spinal decompression surgery usually requires several days in the hospital. The benefits of these types of surgeries are in their success: Surgeries that repair nerve root pressure relieve pain in as many as 90% of patients.

Artificial disc replacement surgery removes the damaged cushioning material between the vertebrae and replaces it with an artificial disc made of synthetic materials.

The risks for disc surgery include traditional surgery risks, but specific risks for disc replacement include:

• Potential damage to the nerves and spinal cord
• Stenosis due to spinal bone breakdown
• Stiffness that develops within the spine

Surgery usually takes 2 or 3 hours. Patients usually remain in the hospital for a few days. Recovery can take between a few weeks and a few months.