Types, if needed, recovery time

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common surgeries for lower back pain.

Artificial disc replacement

Artificial disc replacement surgery is used to treat back pain caused by a damaged or worn disc between the vertebrae (small bones in the spine). It involves replacing the damaged disc with an artificial disc, while maintaining normal movement of your spine.

In a 2018 reportthe researchers reported:

• satisfaction rate from 75.5% to 93.3%
• complication rate from 0% to 34.4%
• a reoperation rate of 12.1%

spinal fusion

spinal fusion is a procedure where a surgeon removes one or more discs between your vertebrae and fuses your vertebrae together. This surgery limits the mobility of your spine in the fused area. It is used to relieve back pain and other symptoms in people with spinal instability caused by:

Most studies report spinal fusion success rates for degenerative disc disease between 84% to 92%.

Vertebral laminectomy

A vertebral laminectomy is made to treat spinal stenosis, a condition where the spinal cord or nerve roots are compressed by the vertebral bones. This procedure involves removing the lamina from a vertebra to decompress the spinal cord. The lamina is the bony arch at the back of each of your vertebrae.

According medical expertslaminectomy has:

• a success rate of about 90%
• patient satisfaction rate over 75%
• reoperation rate of approximately 18% within 5 years

Discectomy

A discectomy is a common treatment to remove parts of a herniated disc that press on the nerves, causing pain. It involves removing all or part of one of your discs to relieve neurological symptoms, such as pain and numbness. Discectomy is often performed at the same time as a laminectomy.

The success rate of lower back discectomies ranges from approximately 70% to 90%.

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are two minimally invasive procedures that involve injecting a glue-like cement into a vertebra to strengthen the bone. Both procedures are used to repair compression fractures caused by osteoporosis.

In a 2020 reviewresearchers found that people who had vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty for osteoporotic compression fractures were 22% less likely to die within 10 years than people treated only with conservative methods.

Nucleoplasty

A nucleoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat lower back pain caused by a mild herniated disc. During this procedure, a surgeon guides a needle into the disc using imaging. A special wand is inserted into the needle to create heat and dissolve the disc tissue. This procedure also numbs the nerves in the discs.

A study 2018 reported a 67.1% short-term success rate when used to treat herniated discs in the lower back. Additional surgery was performed in 26% of people, usually within the first year.

Foraminotomy

A foraminotomy enlarges the holes in the vertebra where the nerve roots pass. It is used to treat nerve root compression.

The standard technique for foraminotomy is called the Wiltse approach. It has a success rate of approximately 80%.

surgery to treat spinal stenosis is the most played type of back surgery in adults. A laminectomy is usually the favorite procedure used to treat spinal stenosis.

Spinal fusion can be just as common, if not more common, in people over the age of 80.

In a 2019 reviewthe researchers analyzed the most common spinal procedure performed on adults between the ages of 80 and 100 in the United States by reviewing three surgical databases.

They found that spinal fusion was the most common procedure in two of the databases, accounting for 48.9% and 46.2% of spinal surgeries. Laminectomy and a similar surgery called a laminotomy were the most common procedures in the third database, accounting for 51.8% of procedures.

THE recovery time for lower back surgery depends on the type of surgery as well as other factors such as:

• the complexity and severity of your symptoms
• your general state of health
• your level of physical activity and fitness
• your age

It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks returning to work after surgery to treat lower spinal cord compression.

For spinal fusion you may need to take 4 to 6 weeks stop working if you are younger and not doing heavy work. Elderly people or people whose jobs frequently require bending, lifting or turning may need to be off work for 4-6 months.

Learn more about the spinal fusion recovery timeline.

You may be able to resume your work 1 to 2 weeks after disk replacement if your job does not involve heavy lifting. You may have to wait 6-12 weeks if your job involves heavy labor.

Complications of spine surgery

Spine surgery can help treat many conditions, but it can also lead to complications. Approximately 20% to 40% of procedures fail and complication rates are reported in approximately 7% to 20% two.

Potential complications of spine surgery include:

• bleeding or bruising
• blood clots
• nerve damage
• infections
• cerebrospinal fluid leak
• reaction to anesthesia

If you have back pain, doctors usually recommend conservative treatment options before considering surgery. Some injuries, such as a severe spinal fracture, may require immediate surgery.

Conservative treatments that may help relieve back pain include:

There are many types of back surgeries that are used to treat lower back pain. The type of surgery you need depends on the underlying cause of your pain and other symptoms. Procedures used to treat spinal cord compression, such as laminectomy and spinal fusion, are among the most common back surgeries.

Doctors generally recommend trying conservative treatment options before surgery, but serious injuries may require immediate surgical treatment if they are at high risk of complications.