Endoscopic Microdiscectomy - opinions?

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dlib44

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I had the endoscopic done in April and it didn’t work. I had a very large herniation at L5-S1. The endoscopic goes into the middle of your disc and pulls out disc hoping that the herniated portion comes back in off the nerve. Mine did not so I think I would have been better off with the open micro. It is less invasive but the success rate is lower than the open.
 
With my endoscopic I left with a band aid. 4 stitches sounRAB like a mini micro d. Was your incision directly over your disc or on the side of your back?
 
Dlib44,
I like to ask you a question. because you said the endo surgery doesn’t work to you , but does it make you worse ? What is the pain scale you have right now? The reason I ask is because if surgery didn’t make worse to you and you pain is not unbearable now, you may still have time to find other way to deal with the pain and avoid fusion. My situation is my pain scale is about 4-5 of 10, so I only can concern about endo surgery , even it doesn’t work to me , but doesn’t make me worse, I will still not concern open surgery right now.
Thanks!
 
I have had a microdisectomy at age 30. It was a lot of pain but the bad part 6 months later the pain was back and the doctor didn't want to operate again so he just gave me pain meRAB. So I went to several doctors until I found the one in Brick and he found I had 4 discs that were severely torn, he went over this new procedure and explained that the microdisectomy didn't "nuke" the disc and it just caused instability and that started the problem all over again, and he would heat up the disc and it would harden so it wouldn't re herniate. So I studied the YES procedure and felt it was a much better option. I have had 5 of them done. It relieves the pressure and leg pain right from the post op bed. None of the discs re herniated. I was feeling fantastic, until my 90 year old uncle fell and picking him up, I re injured l-4/5, and upon more mri's he found spondy. So the Dr. will be fusing me using the aspen spinous process system in his office for the first time August 3rd. He is very good, and even though he wasn't an orthopedic he was a very talented surgeon before becoming a pain doctor. I would never do anything other than the endoscopic discetomy if I needed another one. Far and above better than the microdisectomy. Any questions about anything just yell.
 
I had my surgery in late April. There have been times when my pain has been worse but has seemed to have calmed down as of late with the help of Nerve meRAB. The problem is it did take out a lot of disc. Now with doing an open I risk it collapsing fusing itself together which can be very bad. This is why the surgeon said he would go try to do an open procedure but if he noticed I didn’t have enough disc left he would fuse. I already have DDD at L3-L4 and L4-L5 so a fusion at L5-S1 would not be good.
 
Good post...

To Cythren: What has your surgeon said about getting surgery? If you have lost strength to the point that you are limping & you have tried PT with no results if I were you I would be looking at surgery.

How long have you been limping?

How old are you?

Let me know & take care... Dave!
 
I'd like to hear what people think about the new minimally invasive procedure endoscopic microdiscectomy vs. microdiscectomy.

Has anyone here had the endoscopic procedure? Did it help you?

What is the recovery like for the endoscopic procedure? For the microdiscectomy? How soon were you able to eg. clirab stairs, walk the dog, care for yourself without help?

I'd love to hear others' experience and thoughts on this.

Thanks!! :)
 
Hey Picnica,
are you getting fused April 3 in brick at the endoscopic Dr? I am scheduled for the same date for the endoscopic procedure in brick. Just have a second consultation July 28 with my parents to make a final decision.
 
Davesport - Good to hear you had some improvement in toe strength at 4 months without surgery...The neurosurgeon I saw upstate a month ago has a great rep and is very experienced, but it wasn't clear to me if he did micro- or open discectomy. Definitely not endoscopic procedures. I only spoke to him for about ten minutes, and at that time he said a 2" incision, and handed me a booklet called "lurabar microsurgery". Couple days later I called to get clarification of what they were going to do, and spoke to the PA. She said, no - the incision would be 4" and that they don't do microsurgery, only open. It confused me. They also used discectomy and laminectomy interchangeably.

My plan now is to wait and see until April, then see another surgeon here in NYC who I know does the minimally invasive procedures if there's no improvement.

- C
 
Wow pretty cool. I am sure I will see you in the recovery room they tell me I will be in there for 4 or 5 hours after surgery. I guess that means I will be first person on the table. He normally doesn't start till 11am.
Four weeks after the endoscopic discectomy I was off pain killers, and didn't take them for 2 years until my 90 yo uncle fell on the floor and like an idot I picked him up. I went back to teaching 1 week after the surgery. The two surgeries is like night and day the endo is so much easier.
My foot drop is pretty severe, when the did the microdiscetomy they hit the nerve because the disc was in the spinal canal. So since the microdiscetomy I walk a little funny. I wish the endo was out then cause I'd be walking normal.
 
Picnica,

Where did you have your endoscopic surgery? You didn't by chance go to a certain place in Arizona? I've been thinking about going there as I have two discs that are badly torn discs...annular disc tears, according to discography,...and i understand the only other traditional treatment would be a 2 level fusion. I know that the IDET was done for these, but the results haven't been very good. I would like to contact the clinic and get a list of some names that have had this treatment for disc tears only.
 
I had large herniation at L5_S1, but it reduced it's size by itself. Now I only have a small herniation but it still impress my nerve and causes my leg pain.
How long do you need to wait until you get full recovery from your first surgery?
Would you please tell about how you feeling when you waked up? When could
you stand and walk around? Did you have to use medicine to control your pain? Did you already contact any "open" doctor who can do the second surgery to you?

Thanks!
 
I just met with a pain doctor in NJ that does an endoscopic procedure. How is a pain Dr qualified to do a microdisectomy isn't this neuro or ortho? I am really scared of the microdisectomy that I am scheduled for in NYC. Does anyone else have any positive results from this endoscopic procedure?
 
Just had it done 4 weeks post op. I have had both the Endoscopic and the open discectomy, it was so much easier(Endoscopic procedure) In a couple of days I was feeling great, I haven't had any back pain in 4 weeks. My hip was sore for a couple of weeks. I did have a hypersensitive in the leg due to having nerve trouble for so many years, but I am begining to really feel good. I took tylenol for the first time for my pain. They also radiate the disc if you have tears in it. I have been able to stop taking Celebrex also. It was well worth doing the procedure. I have to have it done again in the summer to finish the last disc. They only do (my doctor) 2 at a time. The best thing is there is almost no scar tissue.
 
I think that is a different procedure then I had. That one wouldn't have worked for me either bc the herniation was to big. My doctor actually pulled out all the extruded material 3.5-5 inches of it too. 3.5 inches of herniation he grabbed after a bunch of little bits of material. He doesn't take the good part of the disc out. I think that maybe you had the hydroscision.
 
When the surgeon did the test on my foot, he told me that the damage was done before my first operation so this wouldn't help. If it was fresh injury I would have had a better shot. As far as how bad is the foot drop. I can only pull the foot up with light shoes. Like today, it snowed. I cannot wear boots or I walk like Frankenstein. I have no Achilles reflex. (Ankle) My toe only works going down, it cannot go up, which isn't so bad. Now I am sure in a couple of months it might improve. But it only will improve slightly. I just had a post MRI, I will be interested on Friday the before and after pictures. I will let you know.
 
Picnica,

Yes, please do let us know what your new MRI looks like. I'm curious.
So your foot drop happened a long time before your recent surgery?

I too have no ankle reflex on the left side. Doc said it probably won't come back, but that doesn't seem to be an obstacle to normal functioning of the foot. As long as the foot works normally, who cares if there is a reflex or not, right?

Sorry for all the questions :)

Dave,

I'm 38 and this is the first time I've ever had really debilitating back problems. I've had lower back pain off and on for about 15 years, but I never saw a doctor for it and just used heating paRAB, stretching and advil to help with the pain.

This time was different. I couldn't walk, sit or stand and the pain was way worse than before. It started in the beginning of Deceraber, so I've had this bad disc herniation for 3 months now. Had the MRI on january 30th and it showed a large paracentral herniation "impressing on the left ventral aspect of the thecal sac" at L4-L5. I also learned that the disc below, L5S1, is degenerated. Those are the only two that are messed up.

The neurosurgeon I saw in early February told me I needed surgery, but that was based on the severe pain I was in at that time. When he examined me, he said I had weakness in my big toe.

The pain went away four days before surgery, so I called him to see about postponing surgery. He said the pain going away was a good thing, and that it would be reasonable to hold off on surgery. It's been three weeks now and the pain hasn't come back.

I've got to run now but I'll tell the rest of my story later. I have other reasons for avoiding surgery too - no insurance, lost job due to back injury in Deceraber, and nobody to help me out post-surgery. Sigh.

- Cythren
 
Let me make sure I understand this: an open discectomy is more invasive than a microdiscectomy, and a microdiscectomy is more invasive than an endoscopic microdiscectomy (or is it an endoscopic discectomy?).

picnica, are you basically off of prescription pain meRAB even though you had an open discectomy with significant scar tissue "grabbing" the nerves? That is awesome. Have you ever had a micro-discectomy? Thanks for reporting the good news!
 
Holly 120 it is good to see you running around again. So it is as amazing as I told you? It is funny how you are less in pain after the surgery. Sorry I couldn't move around to see you, I was in intense pain after the surgery my nerves were hyper sensitive couldn't walk for 4 days. I took my first steps today. I am so happy for you!!!!!
 
the incision is on the side of my back above the pants pocket. No pain after surgery, no more sciatica too. The operation did what it was supposed to and I am very happy, and he took out a ton of herniated material too. He shaved a little bone but like millimeters- no hole. When I see the incision tomorrow I will tell you how big it is, but it was supposed to be 3/8 of an inch. 4 seems like a lot of stitches for that size but I will let you know for sure. I feel over the spine would cause more scar tissue so I am really glad I wasn't cut there
 
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