Back surgery (spinal surgery) at Spire Hartswood Hospital

At Spire Hartswood Hospital, we have a choice of expert orthopaedic (bone and muscle) consultants and neurosurgeons who perform back surgery to help you return to your everyday activities as quickly as possible. They’ll provide you with a treatment and recovery plan that’s personalised to you and your needs. Our dedicated nurses and physiotherapists will provide expert aftercare to help you get the most from your operation.

At Spire Hartswood Hospital, our consultants are highly skilled at performing back surgery for a variety of conditions. Your consultant will be able to recommend the best type of surgery for your needs. This may include one or more of the following:

• Discectomy – to remove part of a slipped disc and relieve associated symptoms
• Laminectomy – to remove part of a vertebra to relieve pressure on the spinal cord
• Spinal fusion – to strengthen your back

We’re able to offer surgical techniques and innovations that have been designed to improve outcomes. These include:

• Minimally invasive discectomy, which uses smaller incisions than traditional techniques, resulting in faster recovery
• Two laminar flow operating theatres which regulate air flow to minimise the risk of infection.

Getting here

At Spire Hartswood Hospital, we’re very easy to reach from the A12, A13 and M11, based just 25 miles from London Stansted Airport and 20 miles from central London. We have free parking on-site for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

Your initial consultation will take place in one of our 15 accessible private rooms, so don’t worry if you have difficulty walking. During your consultations, we’ll:

• Ask about your medical history
• Say whether you need an X-ray, and/or an MRI or CT scan so your consultant can examine your back in more detail if you haven’t been diagnosed yet
• Tell you about the particular surgical method your consultant recommends and what it'll involve
• Explain about the general anaesthetic and how it may affect you
• Give you a chance to ask any questions you have about your surgery

Once you’ve decided to go ahead with back surgery, your consultant and your physiotherapist will explain your recovery plan.

When you come in for your operation, you’ll be with us for one to four days. You’ll stay in one of our 38 bright, private en-suite rooms, which has a locked space for your things.

If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in our reception lounge which has a TV.

Here’s what will happen on the day of your back surgery:

• You’ll meet your surgery team and anaesthetist
• Your anaesthetist will administer the general anaesthetic, which will send you to sleep for the operation
• Once it’s taken effect, your surgeon will begin your operation

After surgery, you can begin your recovery in your private room. All of our rooms have:

• A wall-mounted TV
• WiFi access
• An en-suite bathroom
• Comfortable chairs for your visitors - two per room

It’s normal to feel some pain or discomfort after back surgery, so to make your recovery easier, you’ll be given:

• Medications to help you manage pain, prevent infection and reduce the risk of clotting
• Sessions with one of our physiotherapists, who'll give you an exercise plan to help you get active again, plus a guide to how long your recovery will take

Although everybody’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical recovery timeline for back surgery: