I am a Operating Room nurse, nursing professor, and have either been in the room caring for or scrubing in with the surgeon on at least 500+ microdiscectomies. I'm guessing you need surgery on L5-S1 ?? or L4-L5?? This is a very common surgery, the skin to skin (surgeons) time is only 20-35 minutes. USUALLY all goes very well, many times the patient goes into the OR with pain down one leg, wakes up and the pain is gone. Sometimes...the results are not as evident right away, sometimes there is no result at all, sometimes the patient feels worse(not too common). As for the above folks whom had their surgeries 15 years ago, the procedure has changed a bit. Smaller incision, smaller + finer instruments, way better anesthesia = faster recovery.
You should seek a surgeon who has done 250+ micros, is a neuro. surgeon, and who has practiced at the facility for at least a few years. I know of a few good ones who do it at Holmes Reg. Med Center. Consult their physcian directory to locate a surgeon.

Also, a MRI will show either a herniated or a ruptured disk, with or without spinal cord compression. All those factors play into your symptoms and need for the surgery.

good luck.

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