At USA Spine Care, we have many treatment options for a patient with a ruptured disc. Depending on the specific diagnosis, we may approach surgery in several different ways, but all of our procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. That’s because our board-certified surgeons+ take a muscle-sparing approach that requires a smaller incision compared to traditional open spine surgery.

The term ruptured disc, also called a herniated disc, refers to the soft inner disc material of a spinal disc pushing through a tear in a disc’s tougher outer layer. If displaced disc material comes in contact with the spinal cord or a surrounding nerve, painful symptoms can develop. While conservative treatments can be very effective in providing relief, surgery can become a serious consideration if an active lifestyle is still being disrupted after weeks or months.

Minimally invasive ruptured disc surgery

In order to treat the symptoms of a ruptured disc with spine surgery, the location of the problem must be identified and the cause of the patient’s symptoms must be known. In some instances, removing the source of nerve constriction will relieve the patient’s symptoms. In other cases, the deteriorated disc may need to be removed and replaced with bone graft material to ensure long-term spine stability.

At USA Spine Care, we offer several different treatment options for a ruptured disc, including:

• Discectomy — the removal of part of a ruptured disc
• Laminotomy — the widening of space in the spinal canal to relieve nerve compression
• Foraminotomy — the widening of space in the foraminal opening to relieve nerve root compression
• Minimally invasive stabilization — the removal of a damaged disc and subsequent stabilization of a spinal segment in the most advanced cases

The benefits of USA Spine Care

The appeal of the procedures that we offer at USA Spine Care is that they are designed to be minimally invasive. We require a very small incision, often less than 1 inch, and push muscle tissue aside rather than cutting it, which limits the risks for postsurgical complications like infection and muscle damage. To learn more about how we might be able to address your ruptured disc, contact us today.

When you talk to a member of our team you can request a no-cost review of your MRI* to determine if you are a potential candidate for one of outpatient procedures.

Browse Related Resources