How is lumbar disc herniation surgery performed?
Lumbar disc herniation and lumbar canal stenosis surgery is performed with the patient under general or spinal anesthesia, the patient is usually placed in prone position, face down, and we control the level to be treated radiologically. Once the vertebra to be treated is located and after the lumbar incision, we make an opening in the canal, remove the hernia and generally, if there is vertebral instability, we perform a posterior fixation. This fixation is generally performed on the spinous processes, with titanium material and under scopic control. We have observed that in cases where it is necessary, better results are obtained than without posterior fixation.
What does the postoperative period consist of?
Generally the patient gets out of bed the day after with lumbar girdle and treatment, and may be discharged from the hospital that same day or the next day but must rest for 40 days, continue with girdle, go to the 12 – 15 days to control the wound and at 40 days with radiological control to start functional rehabilitation.
What are the risks?
In any surgery there are risks and in this one in particular, although they are minimal, they can be those derived from the prosthesis itself, that it does not have mobility or that it does not get infected. For this reason we take all the measures within our reach, such as rest for 40 days with a lumbar bandage and antibiotic treatment to avoid possible infection of the prosthesis.