A laminectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part of the back part of your vertebrae to relieve pressure on your spinal cord or nerves. It's usually used to treat herniated discs or spinal stenosis.
It can also be used to remove bone spurs and overgrowths of the bones in your spine that press on your spinal cord. These can cause problems with your bowels and bladder, your ability to walk, and your fine motor skills in your hands.
A laminectomy is a surgical procedure that enlarges your spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It’s performed for several reasons, including spinal stenosis, which can occur due to bone spurs, arthritis or aging.
Your surgeon may also perform this surgery if you have a herniated disc. A herniated disc puts pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, which can cause pain and numbness in other parts of your body.
The surgery is usually done under general anesthesia, which means you’re asleep during the operation. Your anesthesiologist will monitor your breathing while the procedure is being done.
The lamina is the curved section of a vertebra that shields your spinal canal. During a lumbar laminectomy, the lamina is removed to open your spinal canal and relieve pressure on your spinal cord or nerves.
During this procedure, your surgeon will remove part of the lamina, a bone that protects the spinal canal. This can relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, reducing pain in your back or neck.
In this procedure, your doctor removes any bone spurs or disc fragments compressing the spinal cord or nerves. This can help relieve symptoms of spinal stenosis, a condition that causes chronic pain, numbness and weakness in the arms or legs.
The surgery may be performed as a minimally invasive or an open procedure. During a minimally invasive procedure, your surgeon uses special tools to make small incisions.
During an open procedure, your surgeon will use specialized drills to burr away the lamina and bone spurs that are causing pain and pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. This can relieve your symptoms and prevent the deterioration of the spine.
A laminectomy is a major surgery that can be life-changing. It's usually performed when less invasive treatments haven't worked.
Often, the lamina is removed along with a disc (a cushion that separates vertebrae in the spine). This helps to make the spinal canal larger and relieve pressure on irritated nerves.
People with spinal stenosis may need a laminectomy to relieve pain and weakness in their legs or arms. This occurs when a herniated disc or bone spurs press on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
The risk of complications is generally low. But it's important to be aware that the operation isn't always successful and can cause post-laminectomy syndrome, or "failed back surgery syndrome." This is pain that persists after the operation. It's sometimes worse than before surgery and may be linked to several different problems, so careful reinvestigation is needed.
A laminectomy can relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves caused by bony overgrowths that narrow the spinal canal. This can cause pain, weakness or numbness in your arms or legs that radiates down your body.
The procedure is often performed when other treatments, such as physical therapy, have not provided relief from symptoms. It is also done when a herniated disc, or other problems that compress the nerves, can no longer be controlled with other treatment methods.
The surgery is generally performed under general anesthesia. The doctor will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels during the operation.