Types of Anesthesia Used for Lumbar Surgery | Dr. Todd Lanman

The only kind of anesthesia used for lumbar disc replacement is general anesthesia, which puts patients fully to sleep. While many patients have asked for it, local anesthesia is not possible because the surgeon needs the abdominal muscles to be completely relaxed so they can go between the muscles to access the spine. With general anesthesia, patients can rest assured that the risks of complications are extremely low.