Discectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of a herniated or bulging intervertebral disc that presses against a nerve root or the spinal cord itself and causes pain and other symptoms. The aim of surgery is to achieve decompression by removing bone or soft tissue compressing the contents of the spinal canal. This reduces pain due to a herniated disc that is unresponsive to conventional, non-surgical treatment modalities such as medications, physiotherapy, and epidural injections.
