Percutaneous laser disc herniation treatment (PLDD)
A common cause of back pain is sciatica, a painful condition that is usually caused by a herniated disc. Sciatica is referred to as pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back, through your buttocks down each leg.
This pain usually affects only one side of the body. Sciatica pain usually goes away within a few weeks, but for some, the pain never goes away and can even lead to leg weakness and changes in bowel or bladder function. For these severe cases, percutaneous laser disc herniation treatment can relieve pain and get you back to your daily life.
Minimally Invasive Treatment for Lumbar or Cervical Disc Herniation
In the past, treatment for severe sciatica required an open traditional surgery of the affected disc. This type of surgery carries more risks and the recovery time can be long and difficult. Some patients who undergo traditional back surgery may require a recovery time of 8 to 12 weeks.
Percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) is a minimally invasive treatment for shrinking a herniated disc. Since this procedure is completed percutaneously, the recovery time is much shorter than traditional surgery. Many patients are able to return to work within a few days of the procedure.
How does percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) work?
The use of lasers to treat herniated lumbar or cervical discs has been in medical practice since the 1980s, so the history and knowledge of this technique is promising. PLDD works by evaporating water in the nucleus pulposus, the intervertebral disc. This excess fluid, as it protrudes, entraps and presses on the sciatic nerve, causing pain. By removing this fluid, the pressure on the sciatic nerve is reduced, bringing relief.
In this procedure, fluoroscopy is used to identify the affected disc. Then, a needle is placed in the intervertebral disc under local anesthesia. The laser fiber is advanced through the needle into the affected disc, evaporating the excess fluid. The patient returns home to recover and is usually back on his feet the next day.
This minimally invasive procedure has been shown to be safe and effective, is easily and painlessly performed, and does not result in scarring or spinal instability. If future problems arise, the PLDD procedure does not limit the patient’s ability to receive other treatments. It can also be used when other surgical procedures have failed.
Other conditions that can be treated with percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD)
PLDD is not only useful for treating sciatica. Herniated discs, radiculopathy, and spinal stenosis can also be treated with this procedure. It can be applied to treat herniated discs in any intervertebral disc except T1-T4. Treatment of a herniated disc can also lead to the elimination of radiculopathy, or radiating pain, in the lower extremities.
Spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spaces in the spine where nerves or the spinal cord pass, can cause pressure and entrapment on these delicate elements, which can lead to disc bulges and back pain. Studies have shown that percutaneous laser disc decompression is a safe and effective alternative to surgery for spinal stenosis.
If you are experiencing back or neck pain but want to avoid the long recovery time of traditional surgery, percutaneous laser disc decompression may be the right treatment for you.
