USA Spine Care is proud to offer treatment options for patients with a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) that is causing debilitating symptoms. Depending on the cause and extent of your condition, we may be able to provide you with the pain relief you require with our minimally invasive spine surgery.

If you are considering surgery because weeks or months of conservative treatment have not brought a return to the quality of life you expect, surgery can become an option. Before consenting to a highly invasive traditional open spine procedure, you may want to consider the benefits of our outpatient procedures which are a safer and effective alternative.^{^}

What is herniated nucleus pulposus?

Each spinal disc has a thick fibrous outer shell known as the annulus fibrosus and a soft inner nuclear material known as the nucleus pulposus. A herniated nucleus pulposus occurs when a tear develops in the wall of a disc, allowing the inner material to be pushed out into the spinal column.

While HNP is not necessarily painful, it can lead to the development of symptoms if displaced disc material puts pressure on a spinal nerve. After diagnosis many patients are able to find relief through conservative treatments like pain medication, physical therapy, rest, exercise and massage, but this type of treatment is not always effective.

How does USA Spine Care treat the issue?

At USA Spine Care, we may recommend one of the following minimally invasive procedures to a patient who has been diagnosed with herniated nucleus pulposus and is determined to be a good potential candidate for surgery:

• Discectomy — to remove the portion of the disc that is causing problems
• Minimally invasive stabilization — to remove a more severely damaged disc entirely and stabilize the affected region of the spinal column
• Laminotomy — to increase space in the spinal canal
• Foraminotomy — to decompress nerve roots affected by foraminal narrowing

By using muscle-sparing techniques, our board-certified surgeons⁺ are able to perform our procedures on an outpatient basis, resulting in less risk of complication for our patients when compared to traditional, hospital-based procedures.

To determine if you may be a candidate for one of the treatment options that we offer at USA Spine Care, contact us today for a no-cost MRI review.*

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