How Lumbar Fusion Surgery Can Help Your Disc Herniation

2737491

The spine has many components, including the bony vertebrae and spongy discs that absorb shocks to the spine. Every part of the spine is essential in allowing you to move and protecting your spinal cord.

Although the spine is a strong central body part, it’s prone to injury, especially as you age. One issue with the spine happens when the spongy discs between the vertebrae push out into the spinal canal, causing various uncomfortable symptoms.

Conservative treatment is helpful for herniated discs in most cases, but it isn’t always successful. If your symptoms persist despite conservative care, the Kellogg Brain and Spine team offers various types of spine surgery.

Dr. Jordi Kellogg is our in-house, board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in lumbar spinal fusion for herniated discs and other spinal conditions. He carefully evaluates your injury to determine the best treatment route for your needs.

What is a herniated disc?

Intervertebral discs are an essential component of your spine. Between each vertebra lies a spongy disc, which is responsible for absorbing shocks and injury to the spine. The discs have a rigid outer annulus and a soft, spongy nucleus.

The outer annulus of each disc is highly durable and strong, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t age over time or become injured from trauma. When something damages the annulus, it can cause a tear, which allows some of the soft nucleus to push out.

There isn’t a lot of space in the spinal canal for the piece of herniated disc, which often causes it to press on the spinal nerves. The pressure on these nerves leads to various symptoms, including:

  • Low back or neck pain
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Pain with coughing or sneezing
  • Leg or arm pain or weakness
  • Muscle spasms
  • Trouble walking or moving the arms
  • Pain that’s worse after sitting or standing

The symptoms of a herniated disc depend on the disc’s location and the injury’s severity. Some herniated discs may lead to debilitating symptoms that require immediate surgical intervention, while others resolve after conservative care.

Most herniated discs don’t require surgery, and symptoms get better with rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy. You may need an epidural steroid injection to reduce inflammation and pain in the spine quickly.

Understanding lumbar fusion surgery

Lumbar fusion surgery is one of the many treatments for a herniated disc; however, it isn’t the first option because it’s invasive and requires anesthesia. Although it’s successful, a spinal fusion requires a few nights in the hospital after the procedure and a lengthy recovery time.

However, for some people, a spinal fusion is the only option for pain relief after conservative measures don’t work. It’s an option for people who have herniated discs and other spinal conditions such as:

If you have any of the above conditions, a spinal fusion may be necessary to reduce movement in the vertebrae and resolve chronic pain. During the procedure, Dr. Kellogg permanently fuses two or more of your vertebrae to prevent painful motion and address specific spinal conditions that lead to chronic pain.

Different forms of spinal fusion surgery include ALIFPLIFTLIF, and XLIF. Dr. Kellogg chooses the type of spinal fusion depending on how he plans to approach the procedure.

Benefits of a lumbar fusion for a herniated disc

Surgery isn’t usually the first line of treatment for a herniated disc. Still, it’s an option when symptoms persist despite conservative measures. A lumbar fusion is one of the many surgeries Dr. Kellogg suggests for disc herniation because it stops painful motion in the affected vertebrae and helps relieve painful symptoms.

Dr. Kellogg may suggest performing a discectomy along with a lumbar fusion to relieve pressure on compressed nerves from the herniated disc. During a discectomy, he removes the bulging part of the disc to take pressure off the nerves.

He can then perform the lumbar fusion to reduce painful motion in the vertebrae, significantly when the disc is severely degenerated or damaged. The goal of fusion surgery is to do the following:

  • Fix anatomical abnormalities in the spine
  • Relieve nerve compression in the spinal canal
  • Improve stability of the spine
  • Immobilization of the vertebrae

The symptoms of a herniated disc come from the segment of the disc that pushes out into the spinal canal, putting pressure on the various nerves, which is where a lumbar spinal fusion can help.

Screws, bones, and  rods help set the vertebrae up for a bony fusion over the months to a year after the procedure. When the bones fuse, there’s less movement in painful areas, which resolves symptoms like chronic back pain.

Call Kellogg Brain and Spine today to schedule a consultation for a herniated disc or lumbar fusion, or you can request an appointment on this website.

Request A Consultation

* All indicated fields must be completed.
Please include non-medical questions and correspondence only.

Accessibility Toolbar