Disc prolapse is a very common cause of back pain and may occur anywhere in the spine from the cervical spine in the neck to the lumbar spine in the lower back. When impinging on an adjacent nerve, this can cause excruciating pain in patients. After relevant nerve function test and MRI imaging, your doctor may advice surgery in a selected cohort of patients. The surgery essentially involves removing the herniated portion of the disc that is pressing on the nerve and maybe done using an open technique or a “minimally invasive” technique.

Fusion may also be done to help stabilise the spine using bone grafts or plates/screws in the same setting.