Pinched Nerve Surgery

Spinal pinched nerve surgery may be an option available to you when conservative treatments prove ineffective or only marginally effective. Surgery is generally regarded as a last resort course of action and is typically reserved for five to ten percent of those with a pinched nerve in the back or neck. But when nonsurgical treatments are utilized to no avail, there is a strong chance that you will be a candidate for surgery, and it may be time to consider that last resort. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of surgery and consider obtaining additional medical opinions before making a decision.

Open Spine Surgery for a Pinched Nerve

Options for open spine surgery for a pinched nerve can vary, depending on why your nerves are pinched and how severely they are pinched. Procedures can range from removing small bits of tissue around a compressed nerve to fusing two vertebrae together to provide adequate relief from pain and other symptoms. However, there are a few components of all open spine surgeries that are fairly consistent. For instance, almost all open spine surgeries like spinal fusion require general anesthesia, large incisions cut into the body with the possibility of severed muscle tissue, an overnight hospital stay, and a long recovery and recuperation period.

The Endoscopic Alternative to Open Spine Surgery

Endoscopic surgical procedures are growing more and more popular as realistic alternatives to open spine surgery. These minimally invasive procedures produce results along the same lines as open surgery without all the potential drawbacks. Only local anesthesia and deep IV sedation are used in place of general anesthesia. Also, only small incisions are cut into the body, and they are usually less than inch in length. Small cameras are inserted into these incisions to give surgeons an actual look into the spine. Lasers and other miniscule instruments are then utilized to perform surgical techniques and alleviate the compression and symptoms associated with a pinched nerve. Patients are free to go shortly after surgery, without staying the night in a hospital. And, the rehabilitative process is significantly shorter and far less demanding than that of open pinched nerve surgery.