Laser spine surgery for herniated disc

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When the conservative methods of herniated disc treatment don’t help your pain, you might be ready to try minimally-invasive laser spine surgery, or PLDD. PLDD is the laser-assisted, minimally invasive procedure designed to treat back pain caused by a herniated disc.

When a vertebrae-cushioning disc shifts, material from it can interfere with the spinal canal and their exiting nerves, resulting in severe pain. Deflating or decompressing the disc will cause the bulge to recede, resulting in the reduction or loss of pain. The laser used in PLDD is the tool that can provide this decompression.

Understanding PLDD

Laser spine surgery was pioneered in 1986. This advanced herniated disc treatment is a remarkably simple hour procedure, and is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. Using x-ray guidance, the doctor inserts a slender needle into the herniated disc. The insertion of an optical fiber into the needle allows for laser energy to travel to its tip and vaporize a small part of the disc’s center. This retracts the bulge from the spinal column or nerve root and subsequently relieves the pain.

Laser spine surgery live

What to expect

Most patients notice immediate pain relief, and leave the office with just a single inconspicuous bandage. Patients are then required to rest in bed for 12-24 hours, after which they should gradually begin walking, working towards a length of one mile. Most patients with sedentary jobs are able to return to work within 4 or 5 days of surgery.

The short recovery time involved with PLDD is one of its many positive aspects, as is its lack of side effects. First of all, the thin needle makes this a minimally invasive procedure and leaves no scarring. There also is no risk of damage to other parts of the spinal cord, since just a small portion of the disc is vaporized. Also, traditional open disc surgeries carry potential complications, since they can involve damage to the back muscle, bone removal, and a large scar-producing incision, which by itself is a source of pain. None of this occurs with laser spine surgery.

Main indications for laser spine surgery (PLDD) procedure are:

Severe leg, arm, neck or lower back pain.
Pain that has not responded to six weeks of conservative treatments, e.g., bed rest, medications or physical therapy.
Herniated lumbar discs confirmed by imaging studies like MRI, CT or discography.

Advantages of laser spine surgery include:

Minimally invasive
No cutting
No scarring
No general anesthesia
No hospital stay
Short recovery period
Costs 50% less than traditional surgery

Posted by Spine Surgery Croatia @ 31 January 2011 16 comments

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Comments

Feb 11, 2011
9:49 am

#1 harish shrimankar :

my wife is suffering since last seven years.she got surgery for spine even she is not cured n again she is suffering due to pain in lumber n upper disc

Author

Feb 11, 2011
10:00 am

#2 Spine Surgery Croatia :

It would be honor to help you. Please check your e-mail.

Feb 14, 2011
1:59 pm

#3 arshiya :

my brother is 21 yr old and after mri test doctor recomended 4r surgery and he lost pain 4r several weeks.surgery wud be the best option please suggest

Author

Feb 14, 2011
3:54 pm

#4 Spine Surgery Croatia :

Hi and thanks on your contact. We need to see complete history of the patient. We will send you email shortly.

Feb 14, 2011
4:28 pm

#5 arshiya :

hi my brother is 21 yr old and he is having back pain 4r more than a year and we have not taken any treatment 4r that but now he is having severe low back pain and in the leg it is severe.he is unable 2 sit and work at office also.we took him 2 orthopaedic and he gv medicine 4r a week and 2 do physiotherapy also but the pain is stil.v hv taken MRI also and doc suggegted 2 go 4r a surgery.i need 2 knw cn v go 4r surgery under this age and if v dnt go 4r surgery how wil it wil be cured.can u plz suggest the best option 4r it.thank u 4r ur kind and quick reply.

Author

Feb 14, 2011
4:31 pm

#6 Spine Surgery Croatia :

Please look in your email inbox and reply there.

Jun 22, 2011
11:01 am

#7 R.Jugran :

Im having low backpain for last 18 years.MRI says moderate left posterolateral disc extrusion at L4-5 having a sequestrated fragment showing mild caudal migration,moderate right posterolateral disc extrusion at L3-4 level and mild posterior disc bulge at L2-3 level.Pl.sugest d best option.

Author

Jun 22, 2011
11:39 am

#8 Spine Surgery Croatia :

We can definately help you and treat your problem. However, to say which method is suitable we need to see your MRI. Can you please use this link and contact us with form filled. http://www.spine-surgery-croatia.com/new-patient-inquiry/

Aug 4, 2011
9:31 pm

#9 Suzanne Twitchell :

Wow…very informative post…Thanks for sharing about this blog…I have learned a lot of this.

James Makker Neurosurgeon

Nov 25, 2011
12:29 pm

#10 aly eldeen abdel basset :

can this technique treat lumbar spondylosis with disc protrusion L4-5 and L5-S1 moderate disc protrusion.

Author

Nov 25, 2011
12:31 pm

#11 Spine Surgery Croatia :

Dear Aly, in theory the answer is – YES. But, to agree on surgical technique and strategy, we approach every patient individually. Please send us an email or join us on live chat on our website. Kind regards

Dec 25, 2011
3:39 pm

#12 reza.saebirad :

hello sir
have a good time
my brother is 41 years old and he is having back pain for more than a year and we have not taken any treatment for that but now he is having severe low back pain and in the leg it is severe.
we don’t wana to have traditional surgery becuse of it’s side effects.
so could you do me a favour and tell us where (in which country near us) we can use PLDD operation.
by the way we live in iran
thank you so much in advance for your help
best regards
reza

Author

Dec 25, 2011
4:24 pm

#13 Spine Surgery Croatia :

Dear Reza, thank you for your comment. We could treat your brother in Croatia with PLDD, as we already treated patients from all over the world. However, to confirm the diagnosis and recommend the treatment, we need to see his MRI. Please sent us an email.

Dec 27, 2011
9:34 pm

#14 Jeff :

Hi,I am a 21 year old male. im very active i play competitive volleyball and workout daily. ive tried resting from work and any activities for up to a month and the pain only got worse without exercise. i have pain in my right leg, in my right glute and hamstring. if i try to stetch my right foot gets tingly. i also have none or have lost the refelx i my right foot leading me to think its a disk problem. also the pain i belivie is sciatica pain causing tight hamstrings and then causing a pelvic twist. I went to a chiropractor and i started having severe low back pain and muscle spasms, it felt like i was pulling back muscles. i stopped going to the chiropractor and all my back pain went away. ive never had an mri or x ray or any other test. i stretch daily but it doesnt seem to help. theonly thing that seems to help is ibuprofen and sometime i take up 24mg a day because of the pain other days i dont take any. ive had this problem for about a year.

I do not have insurance, im 21 and i need some help. any information on this surgery or on my condition would be appreciated. If you could email me with cost or any potential side effects or information it would be appreciated very much.

Author

Dec 27, 2011
11:01 pm

#15 Spine Surgery Croatia :

It is possible that you have a spine problem. You should make a MRI as soon as possible. Then we can tell you more about your condition.