TREATMENT
If conservative treatment for degenerative disc disease fails to bring adequate relief after a significant amount of time (usually at least 12 weeks), surgery may be recommended. In most cases, the surgery will involve a fusion, which may be performed from the back or through the abdomen. The fusion is designed to eliminate motion in the fused segment of the spine, thereby decreasing or eliminating the back pain caused by the motion.
The abdominal approach may be done either through a regular incision or endoscopically, but the specific type of surgery will be determined by the surgeon based on the patient’s symptoms and in consideration of the patient’s various diagnostic studies.
A surgical approach is designed for patients who have not experienced substanstial pain relief from extensive non-surgical treatment (such as physical therapy, medications, and other treatments).