Back pain alone typically isn’t a neurosurgical problem, but it may be a symptom of a serious spine condition if you’re experiencing back pain that:
- radiates down one or both of your legs
- is associated with weakness in one or both of your legs
- causes numbness or tingling in your legs or feet
How we can treat your back pain.
Laminectomy for Spinal Stenosis
Condition
When the spinal canal narrows it causes stenosis, which is thickening of the bones and ligaments that form the roof of the spinal canal, usually as a result of a degenerative condition.
Procedure
A laminectomy widens the spinal canal, relieving spinal cord or nerve pressure caused by stenosis. To relieve pressure, the roof of the vertebrae (lamina) is trimmed or removed to create more space for the spinal nerves.
Surgery involves an incision over the narrowed area of the canal to remove the lumbar muscles away from the roof of the spinal canal.
Technique
Minimally Invasive
A minimally invasive laminectomy is performed by making one or two one-inch incisions with very limited muscle disruption and minimal bone removal. The muscles are elevated off the bone to be removed, followed by removal of the lamina (the bone that forms a ‘roof’ for the spinal canal) and underlying ligament.
Most patients can have the procedure done in an outpatient setting because there is less risk for blood loss, hematomas (blood clot), infection, or loss of spinal fluid. Some patients stay overnight at the hospital.
Minimally invasive neurosurgery offers patients many advantages, including a smaller incision, less post-operative pain, reduced risk of surgical complications, and a faster recovery.
Most patients report improvement in their symptoms after waking from anesthesia, although it takes a few days or weeks for some. Your back will be sore for a few days, but for most patients the operative pain has improved or resolved within a week.
Schedule an Appointment
If you’re experiencing this type of back pain, we can help bring you relief. For an appointment or more information, call (865) 331-2835.