Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Spinal Decompression and Discectomy in Nigeria
Pressure on the nerves in the spine is relieved, either by removing the part of a slipped disc pressing on a nerve, or by widening a narrowed spinal canal. It is mainly for leg pain, numbness or weakness, not back pain alone. The price is a written quote after examination and your MRI, because the levels involved and whether the spine also needs fixing change it a great deal.
Also called: Discectomy, Microdiscectomy, Laminectomy, Lumbar decompression, Slipped disc surgery
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
How the price is set
Written quote after consultation
Consultant spine opinion: ₦35,000
Your price is a written quote after the consultation and your MRI, because it depends on how many levels are involved and whether the spine also needs fixing with screws. It does not move without your written agreement.
What your written quote covers
- Surgeon and assistant fees
- Anaesthetist and theatre time, with X-ray imaging during the operation
- Your bed for the expected stay, usually one to three nights
- Inpatient physiotherapy before you go home
- The post-operative review at six weeks
Not in the quote
- The first consultation and the MRI
- Screws, rods or cages, if the spine also needs fixing, which are named in the written quote
- Outpatient physiotherapy after discharge
- Care for complications needing intensive care or a return to theatre
What decides your quote
- More than one level of the spine
- Fixation with screws and rods, where the spine is unstable
- Neck rather than lower back surgery
- A stay longer than expected
Many HMO plans cap spine surgery or exclude implants. Prior authorisation is filed by the desk once the written quote exists, and what you would pay is confirmed before anything is booked.
Who this is for
- Sciatica from a slipped disc lasting more than six to twelve weeks despite treatment, with an MRI that matches the symptoms
- Spinal stenosis that limits how far you can walk before the legs ache, tire or go numb, despite treatment
- Weakness in the leg or foot that is getting worse
When it is not the right answer
- Back pain without leg symptoms, where surgery rarely helps
- Sciatica in its first six weeks, most of which settles without an operation
- MRI changes without symptoms to match, which are common and normal with age
- Numbness between the legs, or new trouble passing urine or controlling the bowel, which is an emergency and needs a hospital today rather than a booking
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Consultation and examination₦35,000
Where the pain goes, what is weak, and what treatment has been tried.
- 2
MRI of the spine
Booked if it has not been done. Surgery is offered only when the scan and the symptoms agree.
- 3
Physiotherapy and pain treatment first
For most people, this is the treatment. Surgery is for those it has not helped.
- 4
Written plan and quote
The operation, the levels, any implants, and the price, in writing.
- 5
The operation and one to three nights
One to three hours under general anaesthetic. Walking the same day or the next.
- 6
Review at six weeks₦25,000
Progress checked and the return to work planned.
Recovery, realistically
Days 1 to 3
Leg pain often eases quickly. Walking from the first day.
Week 1 to 2
Short walks, increasing daily. No lifting, bending or long sitting.
Week 2 to 6
Desk work from two to six weeks. Physiotherapy builds strength.
After six weeks
Gradual return to normal activity. Heavy work takes longer, especially after fixation.
Risks you should be told about
- A tear in the lining around the nerves, usually repaired at the time
- Infection
- The disc slipping again at the same level
- Back pain that continues, because surgery treats leg symptoms more reliably than back pain
- Nerve injury causing weakness or numbness, rare
- Blood clots
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Will surgery fix my back pain?
It reliably helps leg pain from a trapped nerve. Back pain alone improves less predictably, and you should be told that before agreeing to anything.
Could I be paralysed?
Serious nerve injury is rare. The common risks are infection, a leak of fluid from around the nerves, and the disc slipping again, and they are discussed before you consent.
Can I avoid surgery?
Most people with sciatica can. The majority improve within weeks with physiotherapy and pain relief. Surgery is for pain that does not settle, or weakness that is getting worse.
Why is there no price on this page?
Because a one-level discectomy and a multi-level decompression with screws are very different operations. A fair price needs your examination and your MRI, and you get it in writing.
Prices shown are in naira and were last checked on 11 October 2026. A “from” price is the all-in starting price for the standard case. Every operation is confirmed in a written quote after your consultation, because the right operation for you, and its cost, depend on what the surgeon finds.