Did you know sciatica effects one to 10 percent of the U.S. population and is most common in adults between the ages of 25 to 45 years old? If you’re suffering from leg pain or have sciatic issues, don’t fret just yet, you may be a candidate for lumbar microdecompression surgery!
A microdecompression spine surgery is usually performed to relieve pain from a herniated disc or a growing bone that is putting pressure on the sciatic nerve in the spine. Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine may recommend this procedure for those who’ve experienced leg pain from sciatica for at least six weeks and have not found sufficient relief from conservative treatment. If you think you may benefit from this kind of procedure, call the office today!
A lumbar microdecompression starts like most other minimally invasive procedures with a small incision in area causing pain. In this case, the incision would be made in the lower back. The surgeon will then move the back muscles out of the way to access the spine. Once the surgeon has a means of entry, he or she will then remove a small portion of the inside facet joint to relieve pressure that’s on top of the sciatic nerve.
The surgeon isn’t done just yet, because he or she will need to move the nerve root to the side to access damaged disc material under the nerve root. The damaged disc will be removed to alleviate pressure from the sciatic nerve. One of the greatest aspects of a microdecompression is that the mechanical structure and nearby joints, ligaments and muscles are left intact.
Another positive aspect to lumbar microdecompression surgery is it’s success rate. According to spine-health.com, the success rate for this type of procedure is roughly 90 to 95 percent with the chance of recurrent disc herniation at about 5 to 10 percent. If multiple herniated disc recurrences are common for the patient, Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine may recommend a spinal fusion surgery.
We’re happy people are learning a few things about MIS surgery in our blogs, but we still encourage those of you with spinal questions or concerns to consult Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine. If you suffer from chronic back, leg or neck pain, make it chronic no more! Call the NeuroMicroSpine office today!
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit http://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
©NeuroMicroSpine, 2015
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