Lumbar Discectomy
This procedure is indicated for leg pain as the primary
complaint. A minimal amount of lamina is removed to expose the disc. The
herniated portion of the disc is extracted.

Lumbar Laminectomy
A laminectomy means removal of a portion of the spine bone. The back of the vertebra is called the lamina. Removing a portion of the lamina gives the surgeon access to the spinal canal.

Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
A posterior incision is used for this approach. The spinous process, lamina and disc are removed at the level or levels to be fused. A cage filled with donor bone is inserted into the disc space. Screws are placed into the pedicles and a rod is inserted along the top of the screws. Patients bone is laid down bilaterally to the instrumentation.

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
The indications for lumbar spinal fusions are intractable pain or progressive neurologic deficits due to anatomical changes identified on MRI, plain x-ray, myelogram or discography. The average stay of our patients is four days. Recuperation depends on the definition of recuperation and may vary from a few months to a year.

Every surgeon has a different postop protocol. We typically try to let patients stand as soon as they would like - usually within a day or so of the surgery. The answers are similar for driving and sitting at a desk. You should ask your own surgeon what his/her protocol is as there is no standard answer.

Other suggestions for successful lumbar fusions are no smoking; no anti-inflammatory meds; low impact aerobics such as walking and swimming; avoid extremes of motion of the lumbar spine; use narcotics sparingly.