Surgical Treatment
Lumbar spinal surgery
Lumbar spinal surgery encompasses various procedures to treat conditions affecting the lower back, or lumbar region of the spine. This area is particularly prone to degenerative changes and injury due to its weight-bearing function and range of motion.
Surgical intervention in the lumbar spine is typically considered for conditions such as herniated discs, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, and spinal tumors. Indications for surgery often include chronic pain, neurological symptoms (such as sciatica, numbness, or weakness), and functional impairment that has not responded to conservative treatment measures.
Below are outlined standard surgical Lumbar Spinal Surgery procedures:
Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) is a type of spine surgery focusing on the lumbar region, which is the lower part of the spine. This procedure is designed to alleviate pain and restore stability to the lumbar spine, often caused by conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, or recurrent disc herniation.
The "anterior" in ALIF refers to the surgery approach from the front of the body. This approach allows the surgeon to access the spine without disturbing the back muscles, spinal nerves, and ligaments. The "interbody fusion" part involves the removal of a damaged disc between two vertebrae and its replacement with a bone graft or a synthetic implant. This graft then fuses with the surrounding vertebrae, effectively stabilizing that segment of the spine.
Anterior Lumbar Corpectomy and Fusion is a surgical procedure used to address severe spinal conditions in the lower back, or lumbar region of the spine. This technique is mainly employed when there is a need to remove a vertebral body – often due to severe spinal stenosis, tumors, fractures, or significant degenerative disc disease – and then stabilize the spine
Lumbar Laminectomy is a surgical procedure performed on the lower back, or lumbar region of the spine. This surgery primarily aims to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, which can be caused by conditions such as spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), herniated discs, tumors, or arthritis.
Lumbar Microdiscectomy is a specialized, minimally invasive surgical procedure primarily performed to decompress, or relieve pressure from the spinal nerves. A herniated disc in the lumbar spine can bulge out and press against these nerves, leading to pain, numbness, or weakness, often radiating down the legs – a condition commonly known as sciatica.
Microscopically Assisted Percutaneous Nucleotomy (MAPN) is a sophisticated surgical technique used to treat herniated discs in the spine, particularly in the lumbar region. The procedure is designed to alleviate pain and other symptoms caused by a herniated disc pressing on spinal nerves. The MAPN procedure is centered around removing only the portion of the spinal disc that is causing nerve compression. This pressure can result in pain, numbness, or weakness, often radiating to other parts of the body.
Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion (OLIF) is a specialized form of spinal surgery designed to address certain conditions affecting the lumbar spine, which is the lower part of the spine. This procedure is particularly focused on treating spinal instability, deformities like scoliosis or spondylolisthesis, and degenerative conditions that have not responded to more conservative treatments.
Posterior Lumbar Fusion is a surgical technique that addresses various conditions affecting the lower spine. This procedure aims to stabilize the spine by fusing two or more vertebrae together, thus eliminating the motion that causes pain or instability. It's often recommended for conditions like degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, fractures, and in cases where previous spinal surgery has failed.
Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion is a surgical technique used to treat various spinal disorders in the lumbar region. The procedure aims to stabilize the spine and alleviate pain caused by conditions like degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis (where a vertebra slips forward over another), spinal stenosis, or fractures. It's often considered when non-surgical treatments have failed to provide relief.
Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) is a specific type of spinal fusion surgery focused on the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine. It is primarily employed to treat conditions that cause instability or significant pain in the lumbar spine, such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis (a condition where one vertebra slips over the adjacent one), spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), or herniated discs.
Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) is a specialized type of spinal fusion surgery used to treat various conditions affecting the lumbar region of the spine. This procedure is particularly employed for conditions that cause spinal instability, such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis (where one vertebra slips over another), spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), or herniated discs.
Pars Repair is a surgical procedure primarily focused on treating spondylolisthesis, a condition where one of the vertebrae in the spine slips out of its proper position onto the bone below it. This condition often occurs due to a defect or fracture in a part of the vertebra known as the pars interarticularis, a small segment of bone that joins the upper and lower facets of the vertebra. Pars Repair corrects this defect and stabilizes the affected vertebra, alleviating pain and preventing further slippage.
Pedicular Subtraction Osteotomy (PSO) is a complex and highly specialized surgical procedure used in the treatment of severe spinal deformities, particularly in the lumbar region. This procedure is commonly indicated for conditions such as kyphosis, flat-back syndrome, and certain cases of scoliosis. PSO is often considered when less invasive treatments have failed to provide adequate relief or correction.
The implantation of a lumbar disc prosthesis is a surgical procedure designed to treat chronic lower back pain attributable to degenerative disc diseases. This technique involves replacing a damaged or degenerated lumbar disc (one of the spinal discs in the lower back) with an artificial disc to restore mobility and alleviate pain.