Benefits and risks
NICE decided that there is not much good evidence about how well this procedure works or how safe it is. The 5 studies that NICE looked at involved a total of 332 patients.
Generally, they showed the following benefits:
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no return of the slipped disc within 2 years after surgery
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reduced disability 6 weeks after surgery, still seen after 2 years
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less back and leg pain than before the procedure, still seen after 2 years
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less height loss in the disc 1 year after surgery.
The studies showed that the risks of inserting an implant after discectomy in the lower spine included:
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a tear in the outer cover of the spinal cord in 1 patient; this could potentially lead to complications such as headache or infection because of fluid leaking out of the central nervous system
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suspected infection of the disc 56 days after surgery in 1 patient, which was successfully treated with antibiotics
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further operations needed in 3 patients: 2 because of the slipped disc coming back and 1 because of excessive scar tissue.
If you want to know more about the studies, see the guidance. Ask your health professional to explain anything you don't understand.