Concierge spinal surgery · UK
Private lumbar discectomy surgery in the UK, by a consultant spinal surgeon.
Removing the fragment of disc pressing on a nerve root. For sciatica that has not settled, it is one of the most reliable operations in spinal surgery - around 90 per cent get good relief of leg pain, usually within days.
Why patients choose us
- 01
Surgery timed properly, not rushed
Most sciatica settles within six to twelve weeks without an operation. We help you judge when waiting is still reasonable and when it has stopped being so.
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A surgeon who operates on legs, not scans
A disc bulge on MRI means nothing unless it explains your symptoms. The surgeons we introduce examine you before they look at the pictures.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private lumbar discectomy costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner spinal units. Send the MRI report and how long the sciatica has lasted, and we quote firm figures.
In short
A single-level microdiscectomy: £7,000–£12,000, usually a day case.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinal surgeon consultation | £250–£450 | 45 min | Same visit |
| Lumbar MRI | £400–£800 | 30 min | 24–48 hours |
| Nerve root or epidural injection | £1,000–£2,000 | 30 min | Day case |
| Microdiscectomy (single level) | £7,000–£12,000 | 45–90 min | 0–1 night |
| Endoscopic discectomy | £8,000–£14,000 | 45–75 min | Day case |
| Revision discectomy | £9,000–£15,000 | 90 min | 1–2 nights |
Prices vary by centre, by whether the approach is microscopic or endoscopic, and by whether it is a first or revision operation. Because most sciatica settles without surgery, the cheapest good outcome is often time plus physiotherapy - and we will say so where that applies. NHS discectomy is performed to a high standard, though elective waits can be long while symptoms persist. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
Most sciatica gets better on its own. The question is how long to wait.
Around three-quarters of disc-related sciatica settles within six to twelve weeks, and herniated fragments frequently shrink on their own. Surgery gives faster relief but the two-year outcomes converge - which makes timing, not technique, the real decision.
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Sciatica for more than six weeks?
That is the point at which surgery starts to be reasonable, particularly if pain is severe and life is on hold. Before that, time usually wins.
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Weakness in your foot or leg?
Progressive weakness changes the timeline. That is a reason to be assessed quickly rather than to keep waiting it out.
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Worried it will come back?
Recurrence affects roughly 5 to 10 per cent. Preserving the rest of the disc, avoiding smoking and returning to activity gradually all reduce that risk.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery - what happens, in order.
One spinal surgeon from the imaging review to the six-week check, with a clear discussion of whether waiting longer is still the better option.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
Admission and theatre
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You send us the imaging
A short, confidential form and your lumbar MRI report, plus how long the sciatica has lasted, which leg and where, and any weakness or numbness.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether it is still reasonable to wait, whether a nerve root injection would help, and which spinal surgeon fits.
- 03
Before
We arrange the consultation
Usually within one to two weeks. Neurological examination, imaging review and an honest discussion of the natural history of sciatica.
- 04
On the day
Admission and anaesthetic
Admission, consent and a discussion with the surgeon and anaesthetist. Most discectomies are done prone under general anaesthetic as day cases.
- 05
On the day
The operation itself
45 to 90 minutes. Through a small incision under the microscope, the herniated fragment is removed and the nerve root freed and checked for movement.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
Walking within hours, and most people go home the same day or after one night. Leg pain has often gone before you leave.
- 07
After
Recovery and physiotherapy
Back to office work at two to four weeks, lifting restricted for six, and physiotherapy from around four to six weeks.
Typical end-to-end: 1–3 weeks from enquiry to surgery. Full recovery: 6–8 weeks.
When it helps
When discectomy is the right operation.
The situations where surgery helps, the ones where waiting is still better, and the emergency that needs an operation within hours.
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Sciatica that has not settled
Leg pain in a nerve root distribution persisting beyond six to twelve weeks despite analgesia, activity and physiotherapy. The commonest indication.
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Severe unremitting leg pain
Pain so severe that sleep, work and function are impossible. Waiting the natural history out is not always the humane option.
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Progressive motor weakness
Worsening foot drop or weakness of the quadriceps or calf. That moves surgery from elective to urgent, because prolonged compression damages nerve.
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Large extruded or sequestrated fragment
A fragment that has broken free into the canal. Paradoxically these often resorb well on their own, so imaging alone does not decide it.
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Recurrent herniation at the same level
Sciatica returning after a previous discectomy. Revision is feasible but technically harder through scar tissue, and belongs with an experienced surgeon.
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Far lateral or foraminal herniation
A fragment outside the canal compressing the exiting root. It needs a different surgical approach from a standard interlaminar discectomy.
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When to keep waiting
Sciatica under six weeks, improving symptoms, back pain without leg pain, and imaging that does not match the examination all point away from surgery.
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Red flag: cauda equina syndrome
Saddle numbness, difficulty passing or controlling urine, loss of bowel control or rapid weakness in both legs - A&E immediately, surgery within hours.
Surgical options
More than one way to remove a disc fragment.
What each technique involves - and which herniation it suits.
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Microdiscectomy
The UK standard. A small midline incision with the operating microscope, removing the offending fragment while preserving the rest of the disc. Usually a day case.
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Tubular microdiscectomy
The same operation through a tubular retractor that splits rather than strips the muscle. Less muscle disruption and slightly faster early recovery.
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Endoscopic discectomy
Through a small endoscope, often transforaminal, sometimes under sedation rather than general anaesthetic. Excellent for suitable herniations, with a real learning curve.
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Far lateral (extraforaminal) approach
A muscle-splitting approach lateral to the facet joint for fragments outside the canal, which a standard interlaminar approach cannot reach.
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Revision discectomy
For recurrent herniation at the same level. Technically harder because of scar tissue, with a higher risk of dural tear, and best done by a surgeon who does them regularly.
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Discectomy with fusion
Rarely needed for a first herniation. Considered where there is instability, repeated recurrence, or substantial disc height loss with mechanical back pain.
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Nerve root injection
Steroid placed precisely around the compressed root. Useful for relieving pain while the herniation resorbs, and a good diagnostic test of which nerve is responsible.
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Conservative management
Analgesia including neuropathic agents, staying active, and physiotherapy. It resolves the majority of sciatica within six to twelve weeks without any operation.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of spinal surgeons, we picked them.
Consultant spinal surgeons - neurosurgical and orthopaedic - across UK spinal units. Not listed publicly, and introductions are made privately once we understand your imaging and symptoms.
Selection criteria
How we choose every spinal surgeon in our network.
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Consultant spinal surgeons with high microdiscectomy volumes and audited outcomes
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A clear position on timing - willing to advise waiting where the natural history favours it
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Microscopic, tubular and endoscopic techniques available so the approach fits the herniation
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Revision discectomy experience, and honesty about when a case belongs with someone else
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Microdiscectomy is among the more predictable operations in spinal surgery, with around 90 per cent getting good relief of leg pain. What deserves clear expectation-setting is recurrence, residual numbness, and the fact that back pain is not what it treats.
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Recurrent disc herniation
Affects roughly 5 to 10 per cent, most often in the first year. Smoking, obesity and returning to heavy lifting too early all raise the risk.
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Back pain is not treated by this operation
Discectomy relieves leg pain reliably and back pain unreliably. Where back pain dominates, it is the wrong operation and disappointment is near-certain.
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Residual numbness and weakness
Nerve compressed for months may take a long time to recover, and some numbness or weakness can be permanent. Pain improves faster and more completely than numbness.
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Dural tear
Occurs in around 2 to 5 per cent of first-time discectomies and considerably more in revision surgery. Repaired at the time, it usually means a day or two of bed rest.
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Infection
Wound infection affects around 1 to 2 per cent, and discitis - infection of the disc space - is rarer but causes severe back pain some weeks later.
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Nerve injury
New weakness or numbness from retraction of the nerve root is uncommon, at well under 1 per cent, but is a recognised risk of working directly on a compressed root.
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The six-week restrictions matter
Bending, lifting and twisting are limited while the annulus heals. This is the period in which most recurrences happen, and the advice is worth following properly.
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Scar tissue and recurrent symptoms
Epidural fibrosis can cause symptoms resembling a recurrence but does not respond to further surgery in the same way. MRI with contrast distinguishes the two.
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Red flags after surgery
New or worsening leg weakness, difficulty passing urine, saddle numbness, fever, or clear fluid leaking from the wound - A&E or the spinal unit the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whether the discectomy was microscopic, tubular or endoscopic, the note your surgeon writes keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and level
How long the sciatica lasted, which nerve root was affected, what the MRI showed, and how it correlated with the examination.
- 02 Technique
Approach and what was removed
Microscopic, tubular or endoscopic; which level and side; whether the fragment was contained, extruded or sequestrated; and how much disc material was removed.
- 03 Findings
Intraoperative findings
The size and position of the fragment, degree of nerve root compression and tension, whether a dural tear occurred, and root mobility at the end of the operation.
- 04 Impression
Recovery, restrictions and review
Read this first: when to walk, drive and return to work, the six-week lifting and bending restrictions, when physiotherapy starts, and which symptoms mean calling.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for spinal surgery is usually funded when medically indicated and supported by imaging, but insurers commonly require evidence that conservative treatment has been tried first, and several exclude spinal fusion and disc replacement or require pre-authorisation. Chronic back pain management and long courses of physiotherapy are often capped. We check your policy wording before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about lumbar discectomy.
Quick answers on how long to wait, success rates, recurrence, recovery and endoscopic versus microscopic surgery.
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How long should I wait before having surgery for sciatica?
Most surgeons advise waiting six to twelve weeks, because around three-quarters of disc-related sciatica settles in that time and herniated fragments frequently shrink on their own. Surgery gives faster relief, but by two years the outcomes of operated and non-operated patients largely converge. Progressive weakness, or pain so severe that life has stopped, shortens that timeline considerably.
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How successful is a microdiscectomy?
Around 90 per cent of well-selected patients get good or excellent relief of leg pain, and many wake from the anaesthetic with the sciatica already gone. Success depends almost entirely on selection - leg pain in a clear nerve root distribution with matching MRI does well; back pain with an incidental disc bulge does not.
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How much does private lumbar discectomy cost in the UK?
A single-level microdiscectomy runs £7,000–£12,000, endoscopic discectomy £8,000–£14,000, and revision discectomy £9,000–£15,000. A lumbar MRI adds £400–£800 and a nerve root injection £1,000–£2,000. We confirm firm figures within one working day.
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How long is recovery?
Most microdiscectomies are day cases. Walking starts within hours, office work resumes at two to four weeks and physical work at six to eight. Bending, lifting and twisting are restricted for the first six weeks while the annulus heals, and physiotherapy usually starts at four to six weeks.
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Will the disc herniate again?
In roughly 5 to 10 per cent of patients, most often within the first year. Only the loose and extruded fragments are removed, so the remaining disc can herniate again through the same annular defect. Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and following the six-week restrictions all measurably reduce the risk.
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Is endoscopic discectomy better than microdiscectomy?
For suitable herniations it offers a smaller incision, less muscle disruption and sometimes surgery under sedation rather than general anaesthetic, with comparable results. It is not better for every herniation, has a genuine learning curve, and outcomes depend heavily on surgeon experience. Microdiscectomy remains the reliable standard.
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Will my numbness and weakness recover?
Pain usually improves fastest and most completely, often immediately. Numbness and weakness recover more slowly, over weeks to months, and the longer the nerve was compressed the less certain full recovery becomes. Some residual numbness is common and is generally a nuisance rather than a disability.
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Will it help my back pain?
Not reliably. Discectomy relieves the leg pain caused by nerve compression; it is not an operation for degenerative back pain. Many people find their back pain improves because they can move and exercise again, but that should not be the reason for surgery.
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Do I need a fusion at the same time?
Very rarely for a first herniation. Fusion is considered where there is demonstrated instability, repeated recurrence at the same level, or significant loss of disc height with mechanical back pain. Adding fusion to a straightforward discectomy adds cost, risk and recovery without adding benefit.
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When should I go to A&E rather than wait?
Loss of feeling around the buttocks, genitals or inner thighs, difficulty passing or holding urine, loss of bowel control, or rapid weakening of both legs. That is cauda equina syndrome, and it needs surgery within hours to avoid permanent damage.
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