I just removed these 2 huge free fragments from a gentleman in his 30’s who has been suffering severely for 2 months w severe left leg pain. His pain progressed, and led to weakness. Over past week, pain got even worse, and he lost ability to walk. Repeat MRI showed his small disc herniation at L45 had become monstrous, obliterating the nerve canal.
His wife, a nurse found me through internet searching, and then dropped me a call late yesterday when he could not walk.
They drove a couple hours up here today from the NC coast where they live this afternoon. We got him in late this afternoon, and took out the huge herniated disc which is shown in MRI image from previous "wow" blog.
I just saw pt in recovery room, and the facial expression of agony in preop is now the expression of relief — his lg pain is gone.
Spoke to his wife after surgery and showed her the huge disc fragments which were sitting as a very prominent "crab meat" pebble pushing up on a very sensitive nerve bundle. Getting that "pebble out of his shoe" is usually quite a relief, like taking the thorn out of the lion’s paw!!

The end of a good day at work.
Worth being a little late for dinner to ease the pain for this person and family.
Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
https://www.heyclinic.com