Back surgery (spinal surgery) at Spire Leicester Hospital

At Spire Leicester Hospital, we have a choice of expert orthopaedic (bone and joint) 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 Leicester Hospital, we offer trusted and clinically proven surgical techniques for a variety of conditions. Your consultant will be able to recommend which type of surgery is best for you. This may include one or more of the following:

• Discectomy – treatment to relieve pain caused by damage to a disc
• Laminectomy – used to relieve pressure on the spinal cord by removing part of a protruding or fractured vertebra
• Spinal fusion – used to stabilise your back when you have wear and tear or damage

We’re able to offer surgical techniques and innovations that have been designed to improve outcomes. Occasionally, our consultants use synthetic bone substitutes for spinal fusion surgery, which mean they don’t need to remove bone from elsewhere in your body to fuse your vertebrae.

Back surgery takes place in one of our three theatres with a laminar flow system that regulate air flow to reduce the risk of infection.

Getting here

We're located 7 miles from junction 21 of the M1 and easily accessible from the A47 and A6. We’re a 15 minute cab ride from Leicester railway station. We have free parking on-site for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

Your initial consultation will take place in one of our 21 ground floor consulting rooms, so don’t worry if you have difficulty walking. During your appointment, your consultant will:

• Ask about your medical history
• Say whether you need an X-ray, and/or an MRI or CT scan to look at your back in more detail
• Tell you about the particular surgical procedure recommended 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

On the day of your procedure, you’ll be shown to one of our large, bright, private rooms. You’ll see the consultant again and meet the team looking after you, including your anaesthetist. You’ll be with us for one to four days, depending on the type of surgery you have.

Before surgery, you’ll be taken to the operating theatre and given a general anaesthetic so you’ll be unconscious throughout the procedure. Once it’s taken effect, your consultant will begin your surgery.

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

• Nurse call system
• TV/Radio
• Telephone and WiFi
• En-suite bathroom
• Wardrobe space and a small locker
• Armchair

It’s normal to feel some pain or discomfort after back surgery, so to aid your recovery 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 is likely to take

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