To understand what laser disc surgery is about, we first will explain why it is performed.
The spine is the support of the body, it allows us to move, stand up, bend down and perform a wide variety of activities. Since it is the support of the body, it is susceptible to injuries, either by poor posture when walking or sitting, by carrying heavy things without adequate support or by the natural wear of the elements that compose it (vertebrae, nerves and discs intervertebral). In case of an injury, it is often necessary to perform spinal surgery to repair the damage or prevent it from spreading further and causing other conditions.
Surgical procedures
At present, thanks to the advancement of medical technology, new techniques have been developed to perform this surgical intervention. Between the ones that have stood out in recent years, we find laser disc surgery, which is a minimally invasive procedure.
In patients with cervical, thoracic and lumbar disc hernias, the laser percutaneous disc decompression method (PLDD) has provided good results.
The procedure is perfomed using a needle or using a special camera through which a laser probe can be inserted.
Advantages of laser disc surgery
The goal is to minimize trauma to the tissues surrounding the spine, which enables the same surgical results of traditional surgery.
We can mention a wide variety of advantages:
-Less postoperative pain.
-Less blood loss.
-Faster recovery. Hospital stay is brief.
-General anaesthesia is avoided.
-Absence of a postoperative epidural scar.
-Conservation of spinal stability.
-There is always the option of performing conventional open surgery of the disc in the event of failure.
-Less morbidity (less than 1% compared to conventional surgery at 7.8%).