Lumbar Discectomy Home A-Z Health Information Health Library A-Z Lumbar Discectomy Overview Lumbar discectomy is a surgical procedure done for the lumbar spine, wherein a part of the herniated intervertebral disc is removed to relieve pressure symptoms over the nerve root. Indications Sciatica, slip disc, herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP), and disc prolapse are all synonyms for similar conditions. Heavy weightlifting, heavy labour activities, clumsy sitting position, poor posture, obesity, and rarely trauma can cause a part of the intervertebral disc to degenerate and prolapse out of its place, exerting undue pressure over the nerve root and causing pain.Patients complain of lower back pain, which goes down to either of the buttocks, thigh, calf, and legs. Procedure An orthopaedic spine surgeon or a neurosurgeon can perform this procedure.Preoperative preparationA thorough clinical examination is essential to establish a clinico-radiological correlation.Although sciatica is most commonly caused by herniated discs, other pathologies may mimic sciatica and need to be ruled out by clinical examination.A spine X-ray may be performed to demonstrate lumbar list (sideward bending of the spine) and lordosis (reduced curvature), as well as instability. However, not all patients demonstrate these findings on an X-ray.A subsequent spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might be needed to assess the status of the neural tissue. Further investigations would vary according to each patient.SurgeryThis procedure is usually carried out by an expert team including a spine surgeon, an anaesthetist, a physician, and a physiotherapist.Microdiscectomy, which uses small incisions and causes less tissue trauma, is commonly carried out to relieve symptoms post-surgery.Physiotherapy is essential to improve the mobility and overall surgical outcome.