What is a lumbar microdiscectomy and rhizolysis?
A lumbar microdiscectomy and rhizolysis is an operation on the spine in the lower back. Its purpose is to remove a disc prolapse and relieve pressure on the nerve roots that leave the spine and run down to form the nerves in your legs. What is an interspinous distractor? In some cases an interspinous distractor (X-Stop or Diam) is inserted between the pointy portions of bone at the back of the spine (the ‘spinous processes’). These ‘shock absorbers’ may reduce the pressure on the disc, as well as increasing the amount of room for the nerves in the spinal canal, lateral recesses, and intervertebral foraminae. Interspinous distractors are sometimes used as an adjunct to a microdiscectomy. Why might I need a lumbar microdiscectomy and rhizolysis? A lumbar microdiscectomy is used to treat intervertebral disc herniations which do not improve with conservative treatment. Surgery is usually recommended when all reasonable conservative measures (pain medications, nerve sheath injections, physi
