Microdiscectomy involves shaving off 2-5% of the disc while leaving the rest intact. It is a keyhole surgery.
Rhizolysis refers to removing whatever is pinching the spinal nerve, whether it’s disc material, arthritic tissue, or a spinal cyst. Once the nerve is decompressed, pain and symptoms often disappear immediately.
Microdiscectomy and rhizolysis can be done in the neck or lower back, though they are more common in the lower back, and their goal is to improve your quality of life. For some, that’s being pain-free; for others, it means being able to walk and move freely again, or being back on the golf course.
Yes, it is.
It is one of the most reliable and successful spinal surgeries, with consistently excellent outcomes and high patient satisfaction.
I will consider all the important factors with you and determine what is best for you and the quality of life that you want to achieve.
With you safely under anaesthetic, I make a small incision (about an inch) in the lower back. Using a fibre optic tube (between 15-18 mm in width) I gently probe between the muscles of your lower back down to the spine (usually about 5-7cm deep) until I find the offending disc or other tissue, then carefully remove it. Once the nerve is freed, the tube is removed, the small incision closed, and you are woken up.
Infections are very rare due to modern practices including:
In rare cases, symptoms may persist even after surgery.
Rarely, the artificial disc may break, move, or fail, but modern engineering has greatly reduced this risk.
Rarely causes a problem.
I am committed to getting the best possible result for you and minimising the risks. This extends to keeping regular contact with you during the recovery phase.
You will be surprised to learn how much you are allowed to do straight after surgery. It is very important to get your confidence back as soon as possible and that’s why I will encourage you to be as active as possible. So recovery doesn’t mean “just resting”.
So to get the best results you need to commit to a full recovery period, and this means keeping active.
Microdiscectomy/rhizolysis is one of the most commonly performed types of spinal surgery worldwide, including in Australia.
The main long-term risk is recurrence of the issue. After reviewing your scans, I can provide an accurate likelihood of this happening. Occasionally, some minor back discomfort may persist, though this is rare.
Opting out of surgery is always an option. I’ll explain how this may affect your symptoms and quality of life, so you can make an informed decision.
Yes, there are typically 2-3 options for each case, each with its own pros and cons, which I’ll present to you.
Pain after microdiscectomy and rhizolysis is typically minimal.
The scar on the lower back generally heals very well and is barely noticeable over time.
No. We use dissolvable sutures so no removal is needed.
Typically, 12-18 hours, though many patients opt to stay overnight for convenience.
I recommend taking at least 2 weeks off to regain your confidence and feel comfortable.
Physiotherapy plays an important role in reducing post-surgery muscle soreness and stiffness.
