4 Most Common Types of Spine Surgeries Performed by Spine Specialists in UK:

The spine serves as the backbone of our human structure giving the much-needed stability and with its bone casing made up of vertebrae, protects the spinal cord that serves a link between brain and nerves from other parts of the body. Any injury or problem, structural or functional to the spine must be addressed and treated by an orthopaedic spine specialist at the earliest.

If you are suffering from chronic spine problems, it helps to get to know the available form treatment options beforehand and in this blog, we are here to let you know most common types of spine surgeries and cases when the surgical method is a preferred treatment option. Read on:

When is spine surgery recommended by spine specialist?

Treatment to any spine issue starts with conservative non-surgical treatment methods which include, medications, physical therapy, injections and rehab. And only when these non-surgical treatment options run out in effectively treating the conditions surgical options come into contention. In case the condition is a correctable deformity where the physical exams, MRI, and imaging studies must match with the symptoms, the patient is in good health for surgery and the overall pros of surgery far outweigh the cons, then surgical methods may be recommended by the spine surgeon.

Every year thousands of patients successfully undergo spine surgeries and here are the four common types of spine surgery that are performed by spine specialists in the UK:

Laminectomy:

Bone spurs, bulging disc, bone overgrowths, and ligaments can narrow the spinal space putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves which can manifest in the form of radiation back or leg pain. Laminectomy is decompression surgery where a thin bony plate that is located on the back of the vertebrae is removed to ease this pressure on the nerves or spinal cord caused by these elements in the back.

Discectomy:

The discs in the back that act as a cushion between the vertebrae can rupture or slip putting pain on the nerves or spinal cord causing pain in legs, arms, chest, and buttocks with trouble in walking or sitting. Discectomy is another type of decompression surgery that is performed to remove the damaged portion to treat the pain caused by it.

Vertebroplasty:

Vertebroplasty is a spine surgery procedure that helps stabilize the spine and relieve the pain in cases of vertebrae fractures which can be caused by injury or osteoporosis. The spine surgeon inserts the cement between the vertebrae spaces to strengthen the vertebrae, relieve the pain and arrest the further collapse.

Spinal fusion:

The procedure spinal fusion involves joining two bones using bone-like materials within the vertebrae spaces to permeant connect them and eliminate motion. Spinal fusion is a major and most common form of spine surgery that is performed by a spine surgeon to treat cases of spine instability and misalignment associated with spine conditions like scoliosis, degenerative disc diseases and spinal deformities.

The above four surgeries is the most common form of spine surgeries performed by spine specialists in the UK and they are only resorted to when all other non-surgical treatment options do not sufficiently solve the spinal problems. However, the final call rests in the hands of an expert spinal surgeon who after evaluating your spine conditions, medical history and health recommend the right choice of treatment. If you are living in the UK and are looking for a spine specialist, you can contact Children and Adult Spinal Surgeon, Mr Jwalant S. Mehta here: Clinical secretary: +44 785 021 1939