Percutaneous Discectomy is
one of the most popular pain management treatments elected by
patients experiencing pain at Atlas Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine, located on
Park Avenue South @31st Street in Manhattan, New York and on
Millburn Avenue in Millburn, New Jersey. A percutaneous discectomy is the surgical removal of herniated disc
material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord and is
performed when a patient is determined to have the painful symptoms
resulting from a herniated disc. In percutaneous discectomy, the
spine surgeon uses continuous X-ray monitoring to follow movement in
the body using a fluoroscope. During the fluoroscopy, X-rays are
directed at your spine, and the resulting pictures are displayed on
a monitor. The spine surgeon will make a small incision in your back
and insert instruments that are used to remove all or part of the
herniated disc.
Before surgery, your spine doctor will confirm that a herniated disc
is causing your symptoms by using an imaging study, such as magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT scan).
Percutaneous discectomy is performed if::
* The history, physical examination, and imaging (such as CT scan or
MRI) indicate that your disc is bulging, and the material inside the
disc (nucleus) has not ruptured into the spinal canal.
* Pain and nerve damage have not improved after 4 or more weeks of
nonsurgical treatment, and symptoms are severe and disabling.
* There are signs of serious nerve damage (that may be getting
worse) in the leg, such as severe weakness, loss of coordination, or
loss of feeling.
* Your pain is severe and disabling.
* You are not able or willing to have a discectomy or
microdiscectomy.
If you are interested in learning more about percutaneous discectomy
to manage your pain or treat your pain the pain management doctors of the
Atlas Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine of Manhattan, New York and Millburn, New Jersey would be happy to see
you for a consultation and help you learn about this procedure.
