Tucson Social Security Disability Blog

Types of Back Surgery

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When we think of back surgery, we tend to believe that all the procedures are more or less the same. It’s back surgery, right? But, in fact, there are a large number of procedures. Each has it’s own indications and outcomes.  Among the most common back surgeries, per the Mayoclinic.org, are:

• Diskectomy. This involves removal of the herniated portion of a disk to relieve irritation and inflammation of a nerve. Diskectomy typically involves full or partial removal of the back portion of a vertebra (lamina) to access the ruptured disk.
• Laminectomy. This procedure involves the removal of the bone overlying the spinal canal. It enlarges the spinal canal and is performed to relieve nerve pressure caused by spinal stenosis.
• Fusion. Spinal fusion permanently connects two or more bones in your spine. It can relieve pain by adding stability to a spinal fracture. It is occasionally used to eliminate painful motion between vertebrae that can result from a degenerated or injured disk.
• Artificial disks. Implanted artificial disks are a treatment alternative to spinal fusion for painful movement between two vertebrae due to a degenerated or injured disk. But these relatively new devices aren’t an option for most people.

Given how reluctant most insurers are to pay for back surgery, it falls to the patient and the surgeon to make sure the surgeon performs the best procedure. From my very limited review of medical records, it seems as if the most common procedure is the fusion. This seems to be done most often at L4-L5-S1. It could be that surgeons feel that a fusion is the best way to address the underlying back problems. If a lesser procedure, such as a diskectomy fails, the patient runs the risk of needing more surgery. Each procedure brings with it such risks as infection. If you are a surgical candidate, make sure you discuss with your doctor all the possible surgeries to decide which is best for you.

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About The Author

Since 1992, I have been helping the people of Southern Arizona get the benefits they are due. Before devoting all my efforts to assisting people with Social Security disability claims, I also handled such complex lawsuits as medical malpractice and products liability. I brought to my Social Security cases all the skills and attention to detail that I developed in the courtroom. I approach each Social Security disability case as if it were a million-dollar lawsuit. For the people trying to get Social Security benefits, their claim is every bit as important. Because I have personally handled so many Social Security cases, I have refined the skills I need to win your case for you. I have helped people win cases for every kind of ailment from arthritis to valley fever. At present, I am focused on helping those persons with neurological and orthopedic disorders. Because claims for people over age fifty bring additional complications, I particularly seek out those cases to work on. I regularly write about back and spine conditions on my blog. I actively seek out the latest information about orthopedic and neurological disorders to ensure I can represent my clients as effectively as possible. Because of my current focus, I regret that I am not able to take any cases for mental disorders. If you are over age fifty and suffer from any orthopedic or neurological disorder, please contact me at once.