What procedure will sever the nerve roots in the spinal cord to offer long-lasting low back pain relief?

The procedure that will sever the nerve roots in the spinal cord to provide long-lasting low back pain relief is rhizotomy. This technique specifically targets the nerve roots that transmit pain signals from the affected areas of the back, effectively disrupting the communication of pain sensation to the brain. By severing these nerve roots, a rhizotomy can provide significant relief for individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions, particularly when conservative treatments have been ineffective.

In contrast, discectomy, laminectomy, and spinal fusion involve different approaches to treating back pain. A discectomy focuses on removing herniated disc material that may be pressing on a nerve, thereby alleviating pressure rather than severing nerve roots. A laminectomy involves removing part of the vertebra (the lamina) to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, which does not involve cutting nerve roots directly. Spinal fusion is a procedure that stabilizes the spine by fusing two or more vertebrae together, commonly done after conditions like disc degeneration or spinal instability, but it also does not directly target nerve roots. Each of these alternatives serves specific purposes within spinal surgery, but they do not provide the same nerve severance that rhizotomy does for chronic pain management.