![]() Patients generally return home the day of the surgery. The recovery time after laser herniated disc surgery is much shorter. This is because the large wound and damage to the muscle and bone must heal fully to prevent further injury, and because extended time on painkillers is often necessary. It may take months to as long as a year to return to full mobility. After returning home, patients cannot return to work for 4-6 weeks, or longer if the job is physically strenuous. This stay is necessary because the patient is often on a high dose of painkillers, and the wound needs to be redressed carefully to prevent infection. Since only one or two small incisions are made, scarring is minimal.Īfter open back surgery, patients first stay in the hospital for 4-5 days. Minimally invasive herniated disc surgery can be performed under local anesthesia, in an outpatient setting. Using a radiofrequency probe and/or laser to dissolve a small portion of the disc's center, causing it to reabsorb the herniation Using special tools and an endoscopic camera to perform the procedure Inserting a small needle into the center of the disc In contrast, laser back surgery can now treat herniated discs by: The patient must be put under general anesthesia. While effective, traditional herniated disc surgery results in a large scar and a long, slow recovery. Performing a discectomy, in which the herniation is manually removed from the area Performing a laminectomy to gain access to the disc and spinal cord - in this procedure, a small part of the vertebral bone is cut away Using a scalpel to cut skin, muscle, and other tissue away from the affected vertebrae Open back surgery is quite invasive, which accounts for the long recovery time. Since herniated discs tend to cause compression by pressing on the nearby spinal cord and nerves, surgery is aimed at relieving that pressure by removing a small part of the disc. If this is the case, there are two possible routes: traditional open back surgery, and laser surgery. If you have a herniated disc that does not respond to conservative treatment, you may need surgery. With modern techniques, however, patients can return to work in as little as a week. ![]() Traditionally, spine surgery has required several weeks away from work for even the most resilient patients. This varies, depending on the procedure and the patient, from days to months. Almost all surgeries require some downtime during which the patient must rest, and cannot return to work.
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