Microdiscectomy

What the operation involves

A microdiscectomy removes disc material that is pressing on a nerve in the lower back. The aim is to relieve the nerve pressure while preserving as much of the surrounding structure as possible.

This operation is usually intended to help leg symptoms from a disc herniation. It does not remove all age-related changes in the spine.

Who it suits

Sciatica from a lumbar disc herniation that has not settled with an adequate period of conservative care, or that is accompanied by significant or progressive weakness.

It treats leg pain far more reliably than back pain. If back pain is your dominant symptom, a discectomy is unlikely to be the answer, and that expectation is set clearly before any decision is made.

Recovery

Your hospital stay and recovery plan depend on the operation, your health, and how you are recovering. The team will explain the expected plan before surgery and update it before you go home.

Follow your individual instructions for wound care, medicines, collars or braces, lifting, driving, work, and physiotherapy. Nerve symptoms can improve gradually, and some may persist. Use the recovery guide below to prepare questions for your follow-up.

Risks

Infection, bleeding, a dural tear, and nerve injury. The most common specific issue is recurrence — the same disc herniating again, which happens in a small percentage of cases and occasionally needs a second operation.