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Percutaneous
Laser Disc Decompression (PLDD)
When the conservative methods of herniated disc treatment don’t help your
pain, you might be ready to try percutaneous disc decompression, or PLDD. PLDD
is the laser-assisted, minimally invasive procedure designed to treat back pain
caused by a herniated disc.
When a vertebrae-cushioning disc shifts,
material from it can interfere with the spinal
canal and their exiting nerves, resulting
in severe pain. Deflating or decompressing
the disc will cause the bulge to recede,
resulting in the reduction or loss of pain.
The laser used in PLDD is the tool that can
provide this decompression.
PLDD was pioneered in 1986. This advanced herniated disc treatment is a remarkably
simple hour procedure, and is performed on an outpatient basis under local
anesthesia. Using x-ray guidance, the doctor inserts a slender needle into
the herniated disc. The insertion of an optical fiber into the needle allows
for laser energy to travel to its tip and vaporize a small part of the disc’s
center. This retracts the bulge from the spinal column or nerve root and
subsequently relieves the pain.
Most patients notice immediate pain relief, and leave the office with just
a single inconspicuous bandage. Patients are then required to rest in bed
for 12-24 hours, after which they should gradually begin walking, working
towards a length of one mile. Most patients with sedentary jobs are able
to return to work within 4 or 5 days of surgery.
The short recovery time involved with PLDD
is one of its many positive aspects, as is
its lack of side effects. First of all, the
thin needle makes this a minimally invasive
procedure and leaves no scarring. There also
is no risk of damage to other parts of the
spinal cord, since just a small portion of
the disc is vaporized. Also, traditional
open disc surgeries carry potential complications,
since they can involve damage to the back
muscle, bone removal, and a large scar-producing
incision, which by itself is a source of
pain. None of this occurs with PLDD.
Are you a candidate
for PLDD?
What kind of
costs are involved with this procedure?
What exactly IS a herniated disc?
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