Issues with a herniated disc can cause an unbearable amount of pain, not so easily treated as a minor injury. What you’re suffering from is not a condition; it’s a symptom of having a herniated disc causing compression and irritating different nerves, leading to pain in different parts of your body. At Genesis orthopedics we offer microdiscectomy surgery, an effective treatment that we use when other options have failed. Do you want to know more? Keep reading.
What Is a Microdiscectomy?
A microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive spine surgery designed to relieve nerve-root pressure caused by a herniated lumbar disc. Unlike open back surgery, which requires large incisions and significant muscle disruption, microdiscectomy uses a surgical microscope and a small incision to access and remove only the disc material that is compressing the nerve. This approach makes recovery faster and less painful than older techniques.
We typically recommend this procedure when sciatica—including radiating leg pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness—does not respond to conservative treatments.
How to Know If You Need a Microdiscectomy?
The most telling sign that microdiscectomy may be the right option is persistent leg pain — not just back pain — that radiates down one leg along a predictable nerve pathway. This pattern, commonly known as sciatica, typically presents as a sharp, burning, or electric sensation traveling from the lower back through the buttock and down into the calf or foot.
The second threshold most spine surgeons look at is duration and response to conservative care. If your symptoms have persisted for six or more weeks despite a structured course of physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, or epidural steroid injections, you are entering the clinical window where surgery becomes a serious conversation.
There are also situations where waiting is not appropriate. If you experience sudden loss of bladder or bowel control, rapid progression of leg weakness, or difficulty walking, these are red flags for a condition called cauda equina syndrome — a surgical emergency that requires immediate evaluation and likely urgent microdiscectomy to prevent permanent neurological damage.Â
How Microdiscectomy Is Performed by Dr. Long in New JerseyÂ
At Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine, Dr. William D. Long III brings his elite training and specialized focus on spinal surgery to every patient he treats. To help ease any nerves about your upcoming care, Dr. Long has helped us break down the microdiscectomy procedure into three simple phases:
Phase 1: Getting Started
The procedure will be performed while you are asleep under general anesthesia. Once you are positioned face-down, our surgeon the Dr. Long, will use a specialized X-ray to pinpoint the location of the herniated disc.
He will make a tiny “keyhole” incision—about the size of a postage stamp—in your lower back. Rather than cutting through your back muscles, Dr. Long will nudge them aside.
Phase 2: Clearing the Path
To reach the source of your pain, the surgeon creates a small window in the bone (the lamina) that protects your spinal canal. Using a high-powered surgical microscope for a crystal-clear view, they carefully move the nerve root out of the way. This phase is all about precision; the microscope allows the surgeon to see every detail, ensuring delicate nerves are protected as they locate the disc material causing your symptoms.
Phase 3: Relieving the Pressure
Now for the main goal: removing the “bulge.” Dr. Long identifies the fragment of the disc that is pressing on your nerve and carefully lifts it out. Once the nerve is completely free of pressure, the incision is closed with hidden stitches. Most people are up and walking within a few hours and head home the very same day. While it takes about six to eight weeks to fully heal, the relief from that radiating leg pain is often felt almost immediately.
Microdiscectomy Surgery in New Jersey
If you have been living with radiating leg pain, sciatica, or numbness that has not improved with physical therapy or medication, our specialist in spinal surgery, Dr. Long, can help you. We perform minimally invasive microdiscectomy across multiple locations in New Jersey, offering same-day procedures, personalized treatment plans, and dedicated support from consultation through full recovery.
You deserve a spine specialist who listens. Schedule a consultation with our team today and take the first step toward a life free of pain.
