Sciatica laser surgery is a minimally invasive approach to chronic neuropathy care. Back and leg pain is often treated with surgical interventions, especially when the source of pain is a herniated disc, spinal osteophyte complex, severe spinal curvature or vertebral misalignment issue.
As always, I caution patients to exhaust all possible conservative measures before even considering any type of surgical procedure for back pain. However, if surgery is warranted, then a laser technique is certainly worth considering, since it will likely do less anatomical damage and facilitate a faster recovery.
This essay will provide information on laser surgery procedures which are used to effectively treat sciatic nerve conditions.
Sciatica Laser Surgery Options
The exact form of laser surgery which is right for you will depend greatly on the diagnosis you have received. Lasers are rarely used for the most invasive procedures, such as spinal fusion, so that leaves out most cases of surgical treatment for scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis and spondylolisthesis.
Lasers can be used to remove bone spur formations which are enacting spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis in some cases. Lasers make surgical widening of the central or foraminal canals easy, compared to older methods of care.
Lasers are most often used in disc surgery techniques. Herniated portions of intervertebral discs can be reduced or dissolved using laser energy with very little damage to surrounding healthy tissue. This is perhaps the best use of laser technology for back surgery applications.
Laser Spine Surgery Warnings
Remember that just because a procedure uses a laser does not mean that it is less dangerous or will provide better curative results. It simply means that the collateral damage to healthy tissue is usually reduced and the chances for infection may also be decreased.
Sciatic surgery of any type is risky and dangerous. The vast majority of procedures do not provide permanent relief. Many patients only enjoy partial or short lived pain reduction and typically wind up having several more surgeries over their lifetimes. Few ever find a real cure.
Other patients are immediately worsened by their operation and it is for these poor souls that the dreaded condition called failed sciatica surgery syndrome applies. This is a very sad situation indeed and often creates a downward spiral of increased pain, functional limitation and eventual disability. Lasers will not prevent any of this from occurring, so do not allow any doctor to tell you: “Don’t worry, it is only laser surgery.”
Sciatica Laser Surgery Guidance
I do not care how minor your doctor makes a procedure seem to you during consultation. There is no such thing as minor surgery, especially when it is performed on the spine. Even super simple techniques like epidural injections can cause major health issues and even death. Of course laser surgery is more invasive than an injection, so be advised that there is risk: considerable risk.
That being said, if you do require surgery and a laser version is available, it will be advantageous to investigate this option prior to making a final procedural decision. If you really need surgery, always choose the least invasive technique which will get the job done and lasers are often the way to go.
Be sure to look for a surgeon who embraces the latest in technology and procedural innovation. Not only will this provide you with a better chance for a successful result, but will also show that this doctor actually cares enough to stay up-to-date on all the latest techniques to help patients truly recover.
