Can a disc fragment be removed without an incision?
Yes, a disc fragment can be removed without an open incision. A disc fragment can be removed through a surgery called “percutaneous (through the skin) discectomy.” This is when a tiny tube is placed into the center of the disc under local anesthesia and the disc is placed under suction so that the fragment will come back through the tube rather than through an open incision. Dr. Stark believes this surgery is not as effective as conventional open laminectomy. A micro-laminectomy has a success rate of approximately 90-95%, whereas apercutaneous discectomy has a success rate of around 70%. This 20% difference is significant. It means the difference of having a one in three chance of failure or having a one in ten chance of failure. For this reason, Dr. Stark chooses to do a well-directed laminectomy under magnification. back to index ……………….
