Major Neurosurgical Procedures

Major procedures include operations that require a hospital stay.  On average they are a little longer and a bit riskier than the "minor procedure."  These include: carpal tunnel surgery; cervical discectomy; disc decompression; lumbar discectomy; lumbar fusion; and, disc replacement.  Both bloodless surgery and minimally invasive surgery are techniques used to do major operations more efficiently.  These two techniques make major surgery seem like a minor procedure.

Anesthesia is almost always needed for major surgery.  While some can be done under local or regional anesthesia, general anesthesia is more pleasant and no longer carries any greater risk than the local or regional techniques.

Anesthesia today is far different than even ten years ago.  There is no longer a feeling "out-of-sorts."  In short cases, the risk and convenience are actually better than local or regional anesthesia.  For more complete information on the qualifications of anesthesia doctors see www.abanes.org/.

Major procedures are generally those that take a little longer, have a bit more risk, and need the assistance of and anesthesia.

See our "Patients Instructions for Surgery" for full details.

Go to the next page on the bloodless surgery.

Go to the chapter on medicines and orthotics.