ARE THERE ANY COMPLICATIONS THAT OCCUR WITH SELECTIVE ENDOSCOPIC DISCECTOMY™ SURGERY?
All surgical procedures have potential risks and possible complications and those associated with selective endoscopic discectomy™ surgery are similar but much less common than following open back surgery. The most common complications are: 1-persistent nerve root pain either due to minor manipulation of the nerve or regeneration of the nerve that was damaged prior to surgery. 2-infection may occur in the disc but since the incision is very small and the continuous flow of fluid containing antibiotics and IV antibiotics this risk is very small. 3-persistent back pain may occur to some degree if significant damage to the facet joint was present prior to the surgery. Remember a surgeon can never guarantee that any surgery will resolve all of your problems. 4-minor leg weakness may be present for several months following the surgery especially if it was present for a long time prior to the surgery. 5-occasionally the patient will experience transient headaches.
Expect excruciating pain AFTER surgery. You cannot bend—or simply get out of bed—for the first couple of weeks. For me the biggest “side effect” was the fact that it did not work. If you have leg pain—ruptured disks tingling the sciatic nerve—surgery might be helpful. If your pain is mostly in your back or chronic this will do very little, if anything at all.
