I've been reading the forum heavily and just bought a unit to make it. People use it on animals for all kinds of problems.
If your kitty is healthy in all other ways, I sure wouldn't put her to sleep. In fact, I think people do that too soon. Yes, if they are miserable and in pain. But, if they still enjoy eating, their daily routine, and getting petted, etc. I would do all I could. I never heard of that surgery, so I would probably avoid it unless nothing else helped. My mother in law's cat lived well into her 20's.