Minimally Invasive Lumbar Laminectomy for Stenosis

Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, caused by a thickening of the bones and ligaments forming the roof of the canal. The goal of a laminectomy is to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerve by widening the spinal canal. This is done by removing or trimming the lamina (roof) of the vertebrae to create more space for the nerves.

The surgical treatment for spinal stenosis involves the "unroofing" of the spinal canal to relieve areas of constriction caused by degerenative disease of the spine.  Traditionally, the surgery requires a midline incision over the afffected levels of stenosis combined with stripping the lumbar muscles away from the lamina (roof) of the spinal canal.  The lamina over the levels of stenosis are removed to relieve the stenosis.

 A multiple level laminectomy typically will relieve the symptoms of spinal stenosis but there is a significant period of post operative back pain and potential complications (infection, wounnd hematomas, spinal fluid leak and delayed onset spinal instability) related primarily to the extensive detachment of the muscles from the spine and removal of the lamina.

A minimally invasive laminectomy can be performed through one or two one inch incisions with very limited muscle disruption and less bone removal.  Blood loss, hematomas, infection and spinal fluid leak occur less frequently and post operative pain is markedly diminished.  Most patients can have the procedure done in an outpatient setting.