diskektomi

Diskektomi, or discectomy, is a surgical procedure to remove part of a herniated intervertebral disc that compresses a nerve or the spinal cord. The goal is to relieve radicular pain, numbness, or weakness and to restore nerve function by decompressing neural structures.

Indications typically include persistent leg or arm pain and neurological symptoms despite adequate conservative treatment, with imaging showing nerve compression from a herniated disc. Acute or progressive neurologic deficits, such as weakness or cauda equina syndrome, require urgent evaluation.

Various techniques exist. Open discectomy and microdiscectomy are the most common for lumbar or cervical levels; microdiscectomy uses a microscope to minimize tissue disruption. Endoscopic discectomy accesses the disc through a small channel using an endoscope, and percutaneous methods are less common. The chosen approach depends on the level, extent of herniation, and surgeon experience.

During the procedure, the patient is usually under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision over the affected level, removes part of the disc material pressing on the nerve, and sometimes trims adjacent bone to access the nerve root. The objective is adequate decompression while preserving spinal stability.

Recovery varies but most patients go home within a day or two after a lumbar discectomy. Many resume light activities within one to two weeks, with full recovery taking several weeks. Reported outcomes show substantial relief of radicular pain for the majority, though recurrence or persistent symptoms can occur in a minority. Risks include infection, bleeding, nerve injury, dural tear, recurrent herniation, and anesthesia-related complications.