Hernia. Treatment in Israel

Vertebral hernia, or a herniated disc is a frequent cause of pain in the lower back, in the neck, and sometimes the cause of pain in the hands and feet.

In the normal anatomy of the spine, the disc, which is an emollient and elastic lining, functions as a shock absorber between the hard bone vertebrae. In the herniation of the intervertebral disc, the nucleus, which is essentially a gel-like fluid inside the disc, protrudes through the ring (the outer fibrous cover of the disc), resulting in a clamped nerve that passes through the vertebral canal (the canal in the middle of the spine containing the spinal cord and other nerve processes).

The vertebral hernia can be provoked by the following reasons:

• Accidental injury
• Falls
• Sports injury
• Improper lifting
• Bad mechanics of the body, i.e. Too many bends, torsions or other unusual positions
• Excess weight of the body, which creates a lot of pressure on the discs
• Smoking
• Long-term activity requiring physical effort

Symptoms of the intervertebral hernia may be lumbosacral radiculitis, characterized by frequent shooting pain, which starts in the buttock and descends one leg lower. Also, frequent symptoms are presented by burning pain, concentrated in the neck, tingling or numbness of one leg or buttock, weakness in one leg, and even inability to control the activity of the intestine and bladder.

Diagnosis of the intervertebral hernia is performed using various tests, including x-rays of the spine, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, to find out which disk is damaged.

Treatment in Israel

Israeli surgeons specializing in the treatment of vertebral hernia, first offer non-surgical treatment to eliminate the symptoms of the intervertebral hernia. Traditional treatment can include painkillers, muscle relaxants, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, cold compresses, gentle thermal procedures, and of course more rest.

If the pain and symptoms do not go away, there is a need to restore the disc.

Here are some of the operations that the Israeli clinics offer:

Standard open operation with grid

The purpose of this operation is to close the hole in the muscles, in most cases with a synthetic mesh that is placed in the tissue to strengthen the abdominal wall and reduce the likelihood that the hernia will return with time. The grid acts like a scaffold, which allows the body to produce natural scar tissue to keep the hole closed. Unpleasant is the fact that after the operation with the mesh the patient has a large incision that requires more time for recovery and presents some risk that the body will reject the mesh.

An open operation with a grid is often done using a laparoscopic operation, i.e. Insert a small tube to view the area of damage, and use small tools to restore the disk. This operation is usually performed as an outpatient procedure (you go home on the same day), although sometimes it may require some stay in the hospital (usually only for postoperative hernias).

Standard open operation without grid

In some cases (femoral hernia, ventral hernia, umbilical hernia), sutures in the abdominal wall can themselves close the hole, and the use of the grid becomes unnecessary. This allows the patient to avoid some of the complications associated with the mesh, but he also faces a high risk of recurrence of the hernia. When it comes to determining which operation option to choose (with or without a grid), surgeons make a decision depending on the size of the hernia, the strength of the muscles around the operable site and the general condition of the patient. Sometimes the decision is made before surgery, sometimes during it.

Minimally invasive operation

In operations of this type, various minimally painful methods are used to eliminate certain hernias, whether mesh or not. Using video monitors, surgeons can control laparoscopic and / or robotic instruments in very small spaces using a camera.

After using minimally invasive methods, patients usually recover in a shorter period of time, have fewer scars, less pain and fewer complications. After surgery, patients are either discharged on the same day, or remain in the hospital for one or two days.

Separation of components

The need for this procedure often occurs with giant hernias of the abdominal wall. This operation separates the muscular layers of the abdominal wall in order to extend the reach of each side of the disc to the midline. Thus, defects up to 20 cm in the waist can be overcome. In many giant hernias of the abdominal wall, a combination of this technique and operations with the mesh is used. Separation of components may require a hospital stay for up to a week or more.

For better performance of the operation to remove the intervertebral hernia, Israeli surgeons consult with plastic surgeons, and even work together during the operation to minimize the number of operations, then require restoration of appearance. Here are some of the procedures that we offer: