Herniated Disc Laser Surgery

Lasers are extremely precise and can often be used to resolve problematic herniated disc concerns without damaging healthy tissues more than necessary. This makes laser procedures a good consideration when thinking about herniated disc surgery.

This discussion will feature the role played by lasers in the modern spinal surgery arena. We will investigate how lasers can treat herniations through a variety of procedural options and what patients can expect if they decide to undergo a laser-based back surgery technique.

Laser Surgery for Herniated Discs / Indications

Laser implements are used in some types of discectomy procedures to excise parts of bulging discs and are also used to dissolve fragments of ruptured discs which may have migrated throughout the surrounding spinal anatomy.

Lasers can be used for variations on IDET and nucleoplasty operations, to dissolve mass in the nucleus pulposus and shrink the size of disc protrusions.

Finally, lasers can be used for many related applications, such as widening out the neuroforaminal spaces and removing built up osteophyte growth from the spinal joints.

Lasers have proven themselves to be highly precise and dependable surgical tools which can replace traditional instruments in virtually any spinal operation.

Herniated Disc Laser Surgery Risks

Laser procedures can create spinal fluid leaks and do nerve damage, just like any other form of back surgery.

Laser wounds are also subject to infection, just like any other operative opening. However, lasers do minimize the chance for cross contamination, decreasing the risk for infection during the procedure itself.

More than anything, lasers still demonstrate the very real risk for an unsuccessful procedural outcome, which explains why failed herniated disc surgery is such an epidemic occurrence.

Herniated Disc Laser Surgery Advice

Laser techniques generally heal faster and better, although curative statistics are no better than traditional procedures. This, of course, has nothing at all to do with the laser and everything to do with the extremely rampant misdiagnosis which often lands patients in surgery for conditions which are not even the actual source of their pain.

Do yourself a favor. Do not pursue any treatment, especially surgery, unless you are 100% sure of the accuracy of your diagnosis, and even then, proceed with extreme caution.

Lasers are just a tool. They are never a miracle cure. But, when available, they can make a necessary operation more comfortable to endure and minimize the recovery time post-surgery.