Professional
Technical
IVT
discectomy
Pronunciation: dis-ECK-toh-mee
Surgical removal of herniated disc material to decompress spinal nerves.
Full Definition
A spine surgery procedure that involves the removal of herniated or damaged intervertebral disc material that is compressing spinal nerve roots or the spinal cord. The surgery can be performed through various approaches including open, minimally invasive, or endoscopic techniques. Discectomy is commonly performed to treat disc herniation causing radiculopathy or neurological symptoms.
Usage
Usage note: Can be spelled 'diskectomy' in American usage, though 'discectomy' is more common in medical literature.
In Context
- "Microdiscectomy was performed at the L5-S1 level with complete resolution of radiculopathy." — Surgical case report
- "The patient's sciatica improved significantly following lumbar discectomy." — Follow-up note
Also known as
disc removal
diskectomy
Contrasted with
disc replacement
Don't confuse with
discography
nucleotomy