Surgical therapy for sciatica/lumboischialgia is performed for radicular and complicated causes. These include:
- Tumor disease
- Injuries to the bones and/or joints and ligaments
- Nucleus pulposus prolapse (herniated disc); surgical therapy see below disc damage (discopathy).
Further notes
- Spinal cord stimulation (SCS).
- The procedure: This is a minimally invasive procedure. An electrode is implanted in the epidural space of the spinal cord (synonym: peridural space; space in the spinal canal that surrounds the spinal cord between the bone surface and the dura mater (hard meninges)). Electrical impulses are delivered to the spinal cord via a control device, which, according to the gate-control theory (control cabinet theory), are intended to interrupt the transmission of pain impulses to the brain. According to the gate-control theory, external and internal pain stimuli are received by pain receptors (nociceptors) in the skin, muscles, joints and internal organs.
- Indication: patients who do not become pain-free under drug therapy or after surgery.