Spine Surgery
Microdiscectomy
Removal of the fragment of disc pressing on a nerve, through a small incision using magnification. Usually chosen for sciatica that has not settled with conservative care.
Removal of the fragment of disc pressing on a nerve, through a small incision using magnification. Usually chosen for sciatica that has not settled with conservative care.
At a glance
- In hospital
- 3 days
- Total stay
- 14 days
- Cost
- Quoted after clinical assessment
The fragment of disc pressing on a nerve root is removed through a small incision using a microscope. It is done for sciatica — leg pain, numbness or weakness — rather than for back pain itself.
Who it usually helps
Patients whose leg pain follows a nerve pattern, matches the level shown on the MRI, and has not settled after six to twelve weeks of conservative treatment. Urgent surgery is a different matter: new weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control, needs assessment immediately.
What the operation involves
Forty-five to ninety minutes under general anaesthetic through an incision of two to three centimetres. Most patients go home within one to two days.
Recovery and what to expect
Leg pain often improves immediately. Numbness can take months to recover and occasionally does not fully. Sitting, bending and lifting are limited for four to six weeks. Back pain is less predictably improved than leg pain, and you should be clear which of the two you are having surgery for.
What we arrange around it
About two weeks including the wound check.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Whether a procedure is right for you is a decision for a qualified clinician who has seen your reports.
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