Illustration depicting a surgical<unk>  A<unk>  (also called open<unk> , if done through a 1/2 inch or larger skin opening) is the surgical removal of abnormal disc material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord. The procedure involves removing a portion of an intervertebral disc, which causes pain, weakness or numbness by stressing the spinal cord or radiating nerves. The traditional open<unk> , or Love's technique, was published by Ross and Love in 1971. Advances have produced visualization improvements to traditional<unk>  procedures (e.g. microdiscectomy, an open<unk>  using an external microscope typically done through a 1 inch or larger skin opening), or endoscopic<unk>  (the scope passes internally and typically done through a 2 mm skin opening or larger, up to 12 mm). In conjunction with the traditional<unk>  or microdiscectomy, a laminotomy is often involved to permit access to the intervertebral disc. Laminotomy means a significant amount of typically normal bone (the lamina) is removed from the vertebra, allowing the surgeon to better see and access the area of disc herniation.
Discectomy
Intervertebral disc arthroplasty
Facetectomy
Periradicular surgery
Arthrodesis
Condylar decompression
Interbody fusion cage
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion