Breakthrough Surgery for Herniated Disc

Herniated disc is a common diagnosis for people who experience severe low back and leg pain. Often times, when conservative treatments fail, surgery is required to provide relief for herniated disc sufferers.

Daniel Laich, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Rush-Copley Medical Center, is one of the few surgeons in the world that treats herniated discs with the TESSYS® method (Transforaminal Endoscopic Surgical System).

During this minimally-invasive endoscopic surgery, Dr. Laich performs the procedure using a similar method to knee arthroscopy. He works with sophisticated instruments and devices through a half inch skin incision, a“key hole” type cut, to visualize, decompress and remove the damaged herniated discmaterial. Unlike other minimally-invasive open procedures, the TESSYS method does not require any muscle removed from the bone. This lack of muscle dissection is what allows most patients to get up only a few hours after surgery, leave the hospital the same day and then go on to a rapid recovery.

Mitchell Messersmith, an active cyclist from Aurora, suffered from two herniated discs that caused pain and numbness in his back and leg. After no relief with physical therapy,Messersmith sought Dr. Laich’s help and underwent surgery using the TESSYS method. Messersmith said he immediately felt relief of his symptoms. Just two weeks after surgery he was back on his bike and completed a race.

Patients treated using the TESSYS method have significantly less to no pain within three to six weeks.

The recovery period of a conventional open surgery, even a minimally-invasive open procedure, is estimated to be from three to six months to allow the muscle to reattach to the bone and recondition.