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By Patrick Foote

Degenerative disc disease almost never requires spine surgery. Generally speaking, spine surgery is an elected procedure that a patient will agree to when the discomfort and pain associated with a spinal condition become severe, and nonsurgical treatments prove ineffective. There are some instances when surgery is required to treat a spinal condition because spinal nerve compression is creating an emergency situation, but those are extremely rare cases.

Degenerative disc disease is inappropriately named, as it is not actually a disease. Instead, degeneration of the intervertebral discs is a condition that occurs naturally as we age. Degenerative disc disease refers to the weakening and flattening of intervertebral discs in the spinal column. For reasons not completely understood, this weakening and flattening of discs is more rapid, severe, and painful in certain individuals than in others.

Most people experiencing degenerative disc disease will find that the symptoms will dissipate and eventually disappear completely. It is recommended that those with persistent symptoms try nonsurgical treatment efforts before resorting to surgery. If nonsurgical methods have been tried for several months with no avail, patients may wish to look into surgery as a viable option to treat degenerative disc disease. There are several ways the spine can be operated upon, including open spine surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery.

Open Back Surgical Methods

Open spine surgery is an option many people take to relieve the pain and discomfort of degenerative disc disease. Open back surgery is the most traditional type of spine surgery. In open back surgery, large incisions are made in the back or torso so that the surgeon can access the affected area of the spine, and then the surgeon will remove degenerated tissue and other elements of the spine to increase the room where nerve roots and the spinal cord reside within the spinal column. Spinal fusion often follows, which is meant to stabilize the spine after parts of spinal anatomy are surgically removed.

There are individual types of open spine surgeries designed to solve individual problems. A few types of open back surgery include:

— Facetectomy – This procedure removes a facet joint (spinal joints that exist in pairs on each vertebra) to relieve pressure in the spinal column.

— Foraminotomy – In this procedure, a foramen (a nerve passageway) is enlarged to relieve pressure on a pinched nerve root.

— Laminectomy – This procedure removes all or part of the lamina (a plate on each vertebra protecting spinal canal and cord) to allow pinched nerves to be relieved.

— Laminotomy – This procedure increases the space between the lamina and spinal cord, and it allows nerves to travel through more easily.

— Discectomy – In this procedure, all or part of a damaged intervertebral disc is removed. After the disc is removed, it is common for the surgeon to fuse the two vertebrae that were separated by the disc so that they become one, immobile vertebra.

— Corpectomy – This is typically the most invasive spinal surgery of all. In this surgery, an entire vertebral body is removed from the back.

— Fusion – A fusion involves two vertebral bodies being fused together to function as one vertebra. Fusion is often done in conjunction with many of the procedures listed above.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Techniques

Minimally invasive laser spine surgery is far different from open back surgery. This endoscopic surgical technique uses lasers, scopes, and other medical tools to target the specific cause of pain and remove or vaporize the source of the nerve compression. Incisions from laser spine surgery are less than one inch long.

Don’t Go Through the Process Alone

Don’t just assume that you need surgery to find relief from your degenerative disc disease symptoms. Talk to your doctor to see what the most effective treatment method for your case will be, and ask whether there are any nonsurgical treatments you haven’t tried yet that could help alleviate your pain.

If you truly feel that surgery is needed in your case, ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of spine surgery. Talk family and friends to seek out additional trusted opinions. Do some home research on spine surgeons and the different procedures available, and find the one that is the right fit for you.

About the Author: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of

degenerative disc disease

and several other spinal conditions.

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