What are the risks of herniated disc surgery?
Discectomy and microdiscectomy, the most common surgeries for herniated discs, are generally well-tolerated and do not commonly cause complications. But there is a slight risk of damaging the nerve roots or spinal structures during surgery. Some people develop excessive scarring in the area of the surgery. There is also some risk of infection following surgery, which may cause further damage. An infection may require antibiotics and additional surgery. All surgery involves some risk. Also, because there are risks with general anesthesia, your doctor and medical staff will carefully monitor you during your surgery and recovery. How effective is herniated disc surgery? People with milder symptoms tend to do well without surgery. People with prolonged symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with normal activities and work and that require strong pain medicines may gain relief from surgery. A study begun in 1990 followed about 500 people with low back pain caused by a herniated disc.
