The Spinal Patient Outcomes Research Trial, better known as the SPORT Study, validates the value of discectomy. The SPORT Study is a comprehensive, National Institutes of Health, multi-center study which looked at patients with three types of back conditions, including herniated discs, and compared the effectiveness of surgery with non-surgical alternative treatments. The SPORT Study found that patients improved rapidly with surgery and maintained those gains at four years post-op. “There are always risks with surgery, even though spine surgery is greatly improved. Most often, we prefer to operate only after patients have exhausted all non-surgical options. Today we have ‘smarter spine surgery,’ with better diagnostic tools and finely tuned surgical skills. We get right to the root of the problem and we don’t operate solely on the basis of pain. We Spine surgeon Carmen Petraglia, M.D., M.S. (second from left) performs surgery at St. Clair Hospital.
find out what’s generating the pain; we confirm the diagnosis with state-of-the-art imaging, we try non-surgical modalities and perform
weakness, pins and needles sensations,
3-inch incision right over the herniated disc.
less invasive procedures. The patient recovers
numbness, and loss of bowel and bladder control.
“Using small instruments, I excise the
quickly and gets their quality of life back.”
The diagnosis of herniated disc is made
herniated disc and remove any fragments
by patient history, physical exam and imaging
that are present. It takes about 45 minutes.
studies. Dr. Petraglia assesses the patient’s
The patient stays overnight and goes home the
pain, movement, sensation and strength,
next day. They will have pain relief right away.
and does a “straight leg test” — the patient’s
Once the incision is closed and healed, they
affected leg is extended and raised, with the
will begin physical therapy to increase core
patient lying flat on his back. X-rays make sure
strength and range of motion, enabling
that there’s no spinal instability and an MRI
them to return to normal activities.”
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confirms the diagnosis. Dr. Petraglia says that the surgery — microdiscectomy — is a less invasive procedure that involves a small, 1- to
Spine surgeon Carmen Petraglia, M.D., M.S. (far right) with an OR team, including (from left) registered nurse Casey Steines, physician assistant L’Lee Z Janicki, and surgical tech Andrew Dorich.
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