ENDOSCOPIC TRANS- FORAMINAL MICRODISCECTOMY may relieve back pain, leg pain, and numbness or weakness caused by a pinched nerve root.
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• Blood loss. Blood loss from ENDOSCOPIC TRANSFORAMINAL MICRODISCECTOMY is usually very small. But as with any surgery, there is always the potential for major or even life-threatening blood loss. • Dysthetic (stabbing, burning) leg pain (fewer than 5 in 100 cases). • Infection (fewer than 1 in 100 cases). Even with antibiotics and careful sterile techniques, there is still a very small risk of developing a wound infection. • Damage to spinal nerves (fewer than 1 in 10,000 cases). If nerves are damaged, you could be left with permanent pain, numbness or weakness in your arms (as a result of prolonged position) or your legs, such as foot drop. • Scar tissue formation (postlaminectomy syndrome; fewer than 5 in 100 cases), and development of spinal instability (postlaminectomy instability; fewer than 20 in 100 cases) requiring more surgery including spinal fusion • Failure to relieve symptoms. Your surgeon will do everything possible to give you the best results. Even so, surgery may not relieve all your symptoms.
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ENDOSCOPIC TRANSFORAMINAL MICRODISCECTOMY is usually done after nonsurgical treatment options have failed. These can include:
• Medications • Physical therapy • Traction • Spinal injections • Watching and waiting
If you feel your symptoms are not severe enough to have surgery, tell your doctor. He or she will respect your decision.
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