At Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center in Sugar Land, serving nearby Houston communities, Dr. Rajesh Bindal performs microdiscectomy surgery for certain lumbar disc problems that compress a spinal nerve. Dr. Bindal is a board-certified neurosurgeon with more than 20 years of experience whose published research includes minimally invasive lumbar spine techniques. Microdiscectomy is primarily used to relieve radiating leg symptoms, such as sciatica, rather than ordinary low back soreness.
Why Would You Need a Microdiscectomy?
A lumbar disc herniation occurs when material from inside a spinal disc pushes through its outer layer and presses on a nearby nerve. That pressure may cause leg pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Surgery is not the first step for everyone. Physical therapy, medication, activity changes, and other conservative care may be tried first when symptoms allow. Microdiscectomy may enter the conversation when symptoms continue, normal movement becomes difficult, and imaging confirms that the herniated disc is pressing on a nerve that matches what you are feeling.
What Happens During the Procedure?
Microdiscectomy is also called microdecompression because the purpose is to free the compressed nerve. During surgery:
- A small incision is made in the lower back.
- The back muscles are gently separated to create access to the spine.
- Fluoroscopy may be used to confirm the correct spinal level.
- A small amount of bone may be removed when needed to reach the disc.
- The affected nerve root is carefully moved aside.
- Microsurgical instruments remove the disc fragments causing the pressure.
The entire disc is not removed. Only the material responsible for compression is taken out, leaving the remaining disc in place. Unlike fusion, microdiscectomy is meant to decompress the nerve rather than join two vertebrae together.
What Happens After Microdiscectomy?
Because the back muscles are separated rather than cut, many people can go home the same day or within 24 hours. Walking is commonly encouraged soon after surgery, followed by a gradual return to activity based on healing and your surgeon’s instructions.
Recovery is different for everyone and can depend on your health, work demands, symptoms before surgery, and the details of the procedure. Our minimally invasive spine surgery page covers these techniques in more detail, while our information on radiculopathy explains the radiating symptoms microdiscectomy may treat. You can also read about when a herniated disc may heal without surgery.
Learn More About Microdiscectomy in Sugar Land, TX
Persistent leg pain from a herniated disc can make walking, working, or sitting difficult. If conservative care has not brought enough relief, call Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center at 281-313-0031 or schedule a consultation with Dr. Rajesh Bindal in Sugar Land, TX.