Lumbar disc herniation occurs as a result of the tearing of the structure known as the disc between the lumbar vertebrae. This pathological structure, called a herniation, compresses the thecal sac and nerves, causing severe pain that spreads mainly from the lower back to the legs.
Lumbar disc herniation is a spinal disorder that is frequently encountered in society, seriously reduces an individual's quality of life, and can be seen at any age as a disease of our era. Medicine offers many treatment methods for this condition. Among these treatments, the most current surgical method is fully closed (full endoscopic) lumbar disc herniation surgery.
What Is Fully Closed Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery?
With advances in technology, most surgeries that were previously performed openly have now begun to be performed in a closed manner. In particular, thanks to advanced camera systems, many different surgeries can be performed in various regions of the body by inserting these cameras, across numerous medical fields. Performing spinal surgeries in a closed manner has now begun to be used in our country as well, as it is worldwide. Fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery refers to a closed surgery performed with the aid of a camera, unlike the known methods.
In fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery, a 6-7 mm skin incision is made on the back or side of the lower back. A special 5 mm camera is inserted through this incision. The herniation is reached under X-ray guidance without any muscle incision. The herniation seen with the camera is removed through the same opening. At the end of the procedure, only the 6-7 mm opening through which the camera was inserted is sutured.
Who Is It Applied To?
Fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery can be applied to all patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation. However, the patient's complaint may not always be due to lumbar disc herniation. Therefore, an examination by a specialist on the subject is absolutely necessary to determine suitability.
What Are the Advantages of Fully Closed Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery?
Fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery has many important advantages for the patient. These advantages can be listed as follows:
If the patient has no additional problems, this method, which is mostly performed under general anesthesia, can also be performed under spinal anesthesia or local anesthesia, where only the lower back region is numbed, if there is a condition preventing general anesthesia. It provides a significant advantage, especially for elderly patients who are considered to be at risk for surgery.
The short duration of surgery is one of the advantages of fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery.
If the patient has no complications, they can be discharged on the same or the following day.
Because it is performed through small incisions in the lower back region, no cosmetic problems such as scars or large sutures are encountered after surgery.
The healing process of fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery occurs in a shorter time compared to other surgeries. For this reason, the patient returns to daily life more quickly.
In other surgical methods used for lumbar disc herniation, a patient's excess weight makes the surgery difficult, whereas in fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery, the patient's weight is not important.
Its most important advantage is that, because there is no muscle incision, the postoperative period is more comfortable than with other techniques. In this way, the patient can be mobilized and move without waiting for the wound to heal.
Frequently Asked Questions
After how long after surgery do individuals return to daily life?
Patients are walked around the hospital 4 hours after leaving surgery. If the specialist physician sees no objection to discharging the patient, they may be discharged 12 hours later. This varies from patient to patient. For the first week after discharge, the patient is advised not to bend forward excessively, not to lift heavy objects, to use lumbar support while sitting, and to sleep on a suitable bed (not a sofa or couch). The patient can go outside and walk within 1 week after surgery. Patients working at desk jobs may return to work within 15 days, while those in heavier manual labor may take up to 1 month to return to work. After surgery, certain exercises prescribed by the doctor should be performed. In addition to these exercises, walking and swimming may be recommended as sports.
After how long after surgery can one drive?
If no complications have developed after surgery and the patient has regularly performed the necessary exercises recommended by the doctor, the patient may drive 10 days after surgery, after consulting their doctor.
How long is the full recovery period before resuming sexual activity?
Sexual reluctance is a frequently encountered condition in individuals experiencing lower back pain. This condition returns to normal after surgery. Because the incision areas of fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery are very small, a rapid healing process is achieved. For this reason, if there is no objection for the patient, sexual activity may be resumed within 2 weeks after consulting the physician.
Can the fully closed method be applied to recurrent herniations?
A herniation in a patient who previously underwent microsurgery or the classical method may recur for certain reasons. Reopening the same incision would prolong the healing time due to secondary tissue damage. The fully closed method, in herniations previously operated on, allows correction without the need to reopen the same wound.
Can fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery be applied to spinal canal stenosis and ruptured herniations?
Spinal canal stenosis occurs as a result of compression of a group of nerves going to the legs. Spinal stenosis, which is often confused with lumbar disc herniation, is characterized by pain in the legs, numbness, and reduced walking distance, in addition to lower back pain. In these patients, open surgeries or screw systems are usually preferred. However, spinal stenosis surgery can be performed with endoscopic methods. With the aid of a camera, the entry is made as if performing the same herniation procedure, and the spinal canal is widened.
The medical equivalent of a ruptured herniation is defined as the disc's surrounding sheath tearing, allowing the material to protrude outward and exert pressure on the nerves. For lumbar disc herniations described as ruptured herniations, the fully closed method is also the most minimally invasive surgical method that can be applied.
Can fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery be applied to obese patients?
In the fully closed method, the same incision is made for the camera regardless of whether the patient is thin or overweight. The camera length is specially designed so that it can also be used in severely overweight patients. In other treatment methods, deep tissues are cut, so the procedure becomes more difficult as the patient's weight increases. Larger incisions prolong the patient's healing time, increase the risk of bleeding and infection, and extend hospital stay. From this perspective, the closed method provides a major advantage for overweight patients.
What are the advantages of fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery compared to other methods?
After fully closed lumbar disc herniation surgery, the individual's recovery speed is faster compared to other methods. The most important reason for this is that the procedure is performed without cutting deep tissues and muscles. The absence of significant tissue damage allows the patient to wake up painlessly, and early walking eliminates bed dependence. For this reason, the individual can meet their needs after surgery. A patient who passes through the healing process quickly can return to social life quickly. Because it is performed with a small incision, no large surgical scar is seen from the outside, and it is usually not noticeable. This provides a significant advantage, especially for those concerned about appearance.
Is physical therapy necessary after surgery?
After surgery, there are several exercises prescribed by the physician. The patient should perform these exercises at home in a controlled and regular manner. In addition to these exercises, the physician may recommend physical therapy if deemed appropriate. The decision on this, which varies from person to person, can only be made by the specialist physician.
Lumbar disc herniation is a condition that can be encountered in individuals of every age group as a disease of our era. This disease significantly lowers the individual's living standards. Most patients struggle even to meet their basic needs due to pain caused by lumbar disc herniation. Individuals struggling with this disease seek treatment options. Looking at current options, fully closed (full endoscopic) lumbar disc herniation surgery, one of the current treatment methods, is frequently a preferred treatment. If you are experiencing lower back pain and cannot find a solution for it, it is recommended that you make an appointment with a specialist physician immediately. 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
