My wife had a bulging disc that was pressing on a nerve. They did surgery as an outpatient. The doc said they did it laprascopaclly (or however you spell it). She only had a couple of "holes" in her back and walked out of the hospital. No pain since. This was last year. Had to have the same surgery 20 years ago on a different disc. That time she had a small incision in her lower (lumbar portion) back. That incision was about two or three inches long. She wouldn't be walking today without those surgeries. As far as "laser spine surgery" is concerned I'm not sure exactly what that means but it is my understand that the doc snipped the bulge with a laser during her last surgery.