Lumbar Sacral Spine Surgery
In humans, the Lumbar spine specifically refers to the five vertebrae (L1 to L5) situated between the mid back- the thoracic spine and the base triangular bone of the spine- the sacrum. The intervertebral discs present in the lumbar spine, called lumbar discs, act as shock absorbers and provide flexibility to the lower spine. Each lumbar disc is made up of annulus fibrosus (tough, outer layer) and nucleus pulposus (soft, inner core). Lumbar disc may get damaged or degenerate and result in conditions like degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and herniated disc. All of these conditions cause significant, persistent pain in the lower back, legs, and buttocks.
Medications, physical therapies, and pain-relieving injections are conservative options that can help reduce symptoms of lumbar disc issues. When such treatments fail to provide enough relief, spine specialists recommend disc surgery of the lumbosacral spine.
Arete Hospitals is known to be one of the Best Hospitals for Disc Surgery in Hyderabad of the lumbosacral spine. It has a separate Department of Spine Surgery that appoints a top-notch spinal care team comprising highly experienced Spine Surgeons in Hyderabad. Under its roof, there are cutting-edge technologies that surgeons use to perform lumbosacral spine disc surgery and ensure quality, optimal results for their patients.
Benefits of Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery
- Treats lumbar herniated disc, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and even lumbar spinal stenosis
- Provides significant relief from chronic pain, numbness, and weakness in the lower back, legs, and buttocks
- Provides relief from bladder or bowel incontinence
- Alleviates chronic pain and improves function in the lower back, legs, and buttocks.
- Prevents disease progression and reduces medication dependence
- Faster recovery with minimally invasive techniques
- Enhances overall quality of life by restoring mobility and relieving pain.
What is Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery?
Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery, also known as Lumbar/ Lumbo Sacral Spine Surgery or Lumbar/Lumbo Sacral Disc Surgery, is an operation to address issues of spinal discs in the lower back (lumbar region). There are different surgical options available to treat lumbar disc problems. These include discectomy, microdiscectomy, laminotomy, laminectomy, spinal fusion, and artificial disc replacement.
If you're seeking information about Lumbo Sacral Disc Surgery in Hyderabad and want to consult with experts, you can contact Arete Hospitals.
Arete Hospitals, Spine Surgery Hospital in Hyderabad is a renowned hospital known for its expertise in various surgical procedures, including Lumbo Sacral Disc Surgery. They have a team of experienced healthcare professionals and surgeons who specialise in spine surgery.
Before Surgery
The patient is asked to sign a consent form and other forms so that the surgeon gets well-informed about the patient’s medical history. The Spine Surgeon in Hyderabad will provide a list of medications/supplements that the patient should or shouldn’t take before the surgery. Pre-surgical tests like blood tests, chest X-rays, and ECG may be ordered by the surgeon several days prior to the surgery. The patient needs to avoid smoking and alcohol intake for at least a week before the surgery and eat or drink anything for at least 6-8 hours before the surgery.
What does Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery Involve?
Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery lasts for about 1-3 hours, depending upon the severity of the lumbar disc issue and the procedure involved. The patient is asked to lie down in a prone position on the operating table/bed and given general anaesthesia. Next, the surgeon cleans and preps the site of the incision. If the patient needs spinal fusion and has decided to own bone as a graft, the site where the graft is taken is then prepped.
A lumbosacral spine disc surgery involves either of the following procedures:
Lumbar Discectomy in Hyderabad
This is recommended to cut out the portion of the degenerative or herniated lumbar disc that might be pinching the lumbar spine nerve roots and causing pain. During the surgery, the surgeon exposes the affected lumbar disc from the spine in the posterior (back) of the patient. To get access to the targeted disc, the surgeon needs to split muscles, drill bones, and remove part of the bony lamina that comes in the path- all through skin incisions at the back. Next, the surgeon gently retracts the spinal nerve to one side and then removes one lumbar disc or more, depending upon the particular case.
Microdiscectomy in Hyderabad
This type of lumbar disc surgery is similar to the standard lumbar discectomy. The difference is that the surgeon makes a small skin incision and then inserts a series of progressively large dilators to tunnel through the muscles of the back. Special surgical tools called endoscopes are utilised to visualise and operate in a smaller incision area. This surgical technique is a better alternative to an open lumbar discectomy as it causes less damage to back muscles or other surrounding tissues of the lumbar spine, less blood loss, and allows for quick recovery after a short operation.
Laminectomy in Hyderabad
It is even referred to as a part of spinal nerve decompression surgery as it helps in relieving pressure off the lumbar spine nerves and spinal cord. This pressure is commonly the result of bone spurs within the spinal canal, usually seen in people having arthritis in their spine. The procedure involves the removal of the lamina to create sufficient space within the spinal canal. Here, the lamina is the back portion of the vertebral bone in the lower back.
Laminotomy in Hyderabad
This is a variation of the laminectomy procedure. During laminotomy, the surgeon makes only a small hole in the lamina and does not remove the entire lamina.
Lumbar Spine Fusion Surgery in Hyderabad
For some patients, lumbar spinal fusion becomes necessary along with lumbar discectomy or other procedures. It is preferred when there is spinal instability often resulting from the removal of a significant amount of lumbar disc material. The procedure involves mending two or more affected vertebrae in the lower back using an autologous bone graft or artificial bone-like material. The vertebrae that are joined together are kept in place with hardware- hooks, plates, rods, cages, or pedicle screws.
Artificial disc replacement in Hyderabad
In some cases, replacement of worn or damaged lumbar disc may be done by an artificial lumbar disc/prosthetic instead of fusion of adjacent vertebrae. This is done to maintain motion and flexibility of the spine. Artificial disc replacement is done by making an abdominal incision and moving aside the organs and blood vessels to reach the lumbar spine. Here, nerves are not moved to access the spine.
After addressing the lumbar disc issue, the Best Spine Specialist in Hyderabad closes all the incisions using sutures or staples.
Good Candidates for Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery
Candidates who are best suited for Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery are people who have:
- Been diagnosed with herniated lumbar disc, lumbar disc degenerative disease, or lumbar spinal stenosis
- Intense pain, numbness, or weakness in leg or foot, much worse than back ache
- Difficulty in standing or walking because of muscle weakness or numbness
- Loss of control of bowel or bladder
- Lower back pain caused by one or two problematic intervertebral lumbar spine discs
- Significant pain that can’t be relieved with medications or physical therapy
- No spinal deformity (scoliosis) or weak bone (osteoporosis)
- Not undergone any major lumbar spine surgery earlier
- Body size/weight within normal range
- No significant disease in facet joints or bony compression on the spinal nerves.
If one is experiencing these issues and wants to address them, they can consult the spine surgeon and specialists at Aret Hospitals, Best Spine Surgery Hospital in Hyderabad.
After Discharge Instructions
- Avoid any activities that cause hyperextension of your back. Walking as per ability is advised.
- Take proper care of surgical wounds, as instructed by your surgeon.
- Go for follow-up appointments with your spine surgeon.
Effectiveness of Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery
The success of any surgical option of Disc Surgery in Hyderabad for the lumbosacral spine will vary based on the condition of the patient’s lumbar spine and the expertise of the surgeon. Generally, the success rates to get relief from lower back pain ranges from 70-90%.
Risks Associated with Lumbosacral Spine Disc Surgery
General surgical complications associated with lumbosacral disc surgery include bleeding, infection, anaesthesia-related reactions, and blood clots.
Specific risks associated with lumbar discectomy include deep vein thrombosis, nerve or spinal damage, persistent pain, and lung problems. Following laminectomy, the potential complications may include cerebrospinal fluid leakage and nerve injury.
1. How long do I need to stay in the hospital after my surgery?
In most cases, you are required to have a stay of 1-2 days following your lumbosacral spine disc surgery.
2. How can I prevent the recurrence of my back pain after disc surgery of the lumbosacral spine?
You need to properly follow aftercare instructions provided by your surgeon to avoid recurrence of your pain. You must maintain good posture while standing, sitting, sleeping, or moving and avoid being in one posture for a long time. Heavy weight lifting is not allowed for you, you must learn proper techniques to lift things. You must maintain a healthy body weight and have a lean body mass by getting committed to an appropriate exercise program. You must avoid nicotine and alcohol and learn to manage stress with relaxation techniques and a positive attitude.
To obtain more information about Lower Back or Lumbar Spine Surgery Cost in Hyderabad please connect with qualified spine surgeons today at Arete Hospitals.