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A serious back problem like a herniated or bulging disc can cause a great deal of suffering and interrupt your normal activities. Even though spine surgery may be an alarming prospect, Charla R. Fischer, MD at NYU Langone Medical Center is here to help you decide if it is the best way for you to get your life back.

This state-of-the-art procedure focuses on eliminating material from herniated discs that is causing problems by pressing on the spinal nerve. This results in pain, numbness, loss of strength, and other symptoms. Modern laparoscopic instruments and tools are used to help produce better surgical results with fewer risks to the patient. By removing pressure on the spinal nerve, patients usually notice less pain immediately after surgery.

Minimally invasive microdiscectomy is a procedure that offers a less invasive alternative to traditional discectomy, which is known to be very invasive to the body and with a lengthy recovery. Microdiscectomy is similar to traditional discectomy, but is performed through a smaller incision and involves less dissection than open lumbar discectomy. Adding the minimally invasive surgery twist to the microdiscectomy, patients receive even more benefits.

What are the benefits of minimally invasive microdiscectomy?
Significantly better results are possible through this newer type of spine surgery compared to its traditional counterpart. Patients can typically expect:

  • Smaller incisions
  • Less risk of infection
  • No muscle damage during the procedure because muscles are not being cut
  • Minimal sutures to close the incision
  • Faster recovery
  • Reduced back and leg pain following surgery

What is recovery like?
Minimally invasive microdiscectomy usually has a very short recovery compared to open spine surgeries. This surgery is often outpatient, so most patients return home the same day as the procedure. Many patients can return to work in 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the type of job they have.

How do I know if minimally invasive microdiscectomy is right for me?
Charla R. Fischer, MD at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City will be able to help you determine if this is the best procedure for your condition. If you have a compressed nerve in your spine that is causing leg or back pain, this surgery may be a great solution for you. Diagnostic tests like X-rays, CT scans and more will help Charla R. Fischer, MD identify the source of your pain. Then recommendations will be made to best treat your condition. If minimally invasive microdiscectomy is advised, you can rest easy in the fact that this is a highly successful and advanced solution to help you get back to your life pain-free.