Case Study: Lumbar Disc Herniation
HISTORY
- The patient is a 60-year-old female with severe low back pain and left leg numbness and weakness after a martial arts class.
PHYSICAL EXAM
- She had severe weakness of her left leg.
PREOPERATIVE IMAGING
Sagittal and axial MRI sections showing left paracentral L5-S1 disc herniation with extruded (free-floating) fragment compressing the nerve.
DIAGNOSIS
- Left-sided L5-S1 disc herniation with extruded fragment
SURGERY
- MIS (minimally invasive surgery) microdiscectomy done through tubular retractor with a microscope
- 45 minutes of operative time
- 5 cc blood loss
POSTOPERATIVE IMAGING
Intra-operative photos and a X-ray image showing a 18 mm tubular retractor placed between muscle planes exposing the L5-S1 level for the microdiscectomy. The final incision is smaller than a thumb.
OUTCOMES
- The patient went home three hours after surgery for herniated disc. Weakness and numbness resolved immediately.
- At six weeks, the patient went to therapy for core strengthening.
- At 12 weeks, she was back in her martial arts class and exercising in the gym.
- In a patient of these characteristics (young and high-demand athlete), MIS microdiscectomy performed between muscle planes with no muscle cutting through a 18 mm incision allowed her to return to her physical activities quickly without any restrictions.
Hospital Affiliations
Mt. Sinai
Saint Barnabas Medical Center
Lenox Hill
Formerly St. Luke’s-Roosevelt
Hospital in Manhattan
Livingston, NJ
Formerly Lenox Hill Hospital
in Manhattan
Outpatient Surgery Centers
Malo Surgery Center
201 Route 17 North 12th floor
Rutherford, NJ 07070
Phone: 201-549-8890
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Midtown Surgery Center
305 East 47th St.
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-751-2100
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Advanced Spine Surgery Center
855 Lehigh Ave,
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-557-9420
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Denville Surgery Center LLC
3130 Route 10 West
Denville, NJ 07834
Phone: 973-328-3475
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