Back surgery (spinal surgery) at Spire Manchester Hospital

At Spire Manchester 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 Manchester 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.

If your consultant thinks it’s right for you, they may perform a minimally invasive back surgery. This usually means a faster recovery time while still achieving the same outcomes.

At Spire Manchester Hospital, we have high-quality facilities, including six operating theatres with laminar flow. These theatres regulate air flow to reduce the risk of infection.

Getting here

The hospital is close to the city centre, with Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria train stations being approximately 20 minutes in a taxi and only 10 minutes from Manchester Airport. We have free parking on-site for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

During your consultations, you’ll meet one of our expert consultants who’ll:

• Discuss your medical history
• Recommend tests and scans if required, such as an X-ray, an MRI or a CT scan, so they can look at your back in more detail – scans may be available on the same day.
• Discuss which type of surgery you’ll need for your condition and what it’ll involve
• Explain about the general anaesthetic and how it may affect you

All of your consultations will take place in one of our 18 consultation rooms which are all accessible making things easier for you if you have difficulty walking. These consultations give you an opportunity to ask questions and get advice about what’s best for you.

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 large, bright, private en-suite rooms, which has a locked space for your belongings and entertainment to keep you occupied as you start your recovery.

If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in our lounge or restaurant while you have your operation.

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 make the first incision and begin your operation

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

• TV
• En-suite
• Window
• Armchair
• Free WiFi

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: