Ruptured Disc Surgeon: Ally To Recovery
Ruptured disc or herniated disc arises when the vertebral disc breaks and protrudes to the spinal canal, compressing the nerve roots. The internal part of the disc oozes out and adds more force on the nerve roots or spinal cord sending a sharp pain as one indication of a ruptured disc.
A herniated or ruptured disc that presses on the body's largest nerve called sciatic nerve results to sciatic pain. An extreme pain felt from the hip area down to the legs manifests this case. Herniated discs with no fragmentation cannot be easily picked up by normal X-ray procedures, but rather identified clearly by CT (Computer Tomography) scan or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Most ruptured discs get well after some time of bed rest. However, there are still those that do not get well after series of medications and treatments. An excruciating pain due to a herniated disc that does not show any relief after six weeks of thorough treatments will be subjected for surgery.
A well-trained ruptured disc surgeon will then carefully examine the patient to check his or her condition before giving any diagnose and identifying what appropriate surgical method to be done. Surgical procedures for herniated disc aims to stop the damaged disc from continually pressing on the nerves causing signs of weakness and pain. Common surgical approach is discectomy, or sometimes called partial discectomy.
In discectomy, the procedure can be completed after an hour or more and it is done with general anesthesia. The ruptured disc surgeon then starts with an incision at the center part of the patient's back. So it is imperative that the patient is lying with his or her face down the entire procedure. The ruptured disc surgeon will then cut up the intervening muscles to clearly see the spine and remove small bone ligaments from the spine. This portion of the process is medically referred to as laminotomy.
Once the selected ligaments are removed, the ruptured disc surgeon can clearly see the spinal nerves and in a way, he or she can make the necessary procedures to protect it. Depending on the damaged disc, more fragments to be removed may be necessary to further avoid disc herniation in the future. As soon as the procedure is done, and the area is cleaned up, the ruptured disc surgeon will close the incision and will apply bandage to it.
After a surgical procedure, most patients woke up with the symptoms of a herniated disc gone. Other surgical procedures are endoscopic microdiscectomy. This shares the same procedure with the open discectomy but with a smaller cut for a shorter recovery time. This is appropriate for patients who cannot afford to take a leave from their jobs longer.
In coming through with a decision regarding the form of treatment for herniated disc conditions, medical professional advises are essential. Surgery is not at all a great option for everybody. The opinion of a certified ruptured disc surgeon matters so much in coming up with the final decision whether or not surgery is a choice for you.
