What is sciatica?
Sciatica is pain down your leg caused by pressure on a nerve where it leaves your spine. This can happen if a disc in your spine becomes worn and develops a bulge (a ‘slipped disc’).
What does the operation involve?
Various anaesthetic techniques are possible. The operation usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.
Your surgeon will make a cut on the centre of your lower back. They will part the muscles and remove a small amount of ligament and sometimes bone to get to the disc.
Your surgeon will remove the piece of disc that is pressing on the nerve.