Lumbar microsurgery uses a smaller incision than traditional lumbar surgery. A smaller incision helps you heal faster. This surgery often relieves leg pain from the hip down to the foot, reduces leg numbness, allows leg strength to improve, and sometimes reduces back pain (after the pain from surgery is gone). Occasionally, a larger incision may be needed.  

During a microdecompression, bone is removed. First, a small portion of the lamina is removed. It is taken from the vertebrae above and below the pinched nerve. Removing part of the lamina is called a laminotomy. If there is no disk problem, the small opening made by this process may take pressure off the nerve. But most often, additional bone, ligaments, or both are pressing on a nerve. This bone and ligaments are also removed.

During a microdiskectomy, some disk is removed.  In most cases, a laminotomy must first be done to expose the damaged disk. The part of the disk outer wall and soft center that presses on the nerve can then be removed. Any disk matter that is loose or that may cause problems in the future is also taken out. There is usually enough disk remaining to cushion the vertebrae.