Laminectomy: Spine Decompression Surgery
Laminectomy
The spine is one of your body’s most essential parts. Without it, you could not move, stand, walk, or carry out other basic movements. The nerves inside your spine also influence how other vital bodily systems function.
All spinal injuries need to be addressed immediately and can be very concerning. Some incidences impact the spinal components known as laminas.
Anatomy
Laminas are flat, arch-shaped structures located near the back part of the vertebra – a collection of bones forming your backbone. Laminas also make up a part of your spinal canal.
Description
When laminas age, grow irritated, are affected by illness, or sustain any injury, a condition known as spinal compression can occur. Relief from pain is possible through a procedure called laminectomy (spinal decompression surgery).
Causes of Spinal Compression
Many conditions can compress or push against the spinal nerves, muscles, and soft tissues, including:
- Inflammatory diseases like arthritis and spondylosis.
- Disc problems like degeneration and herniation.
- Sciatica.
- Benign spinal tumors.
- A narrowing of the spinal canal known medically as spinal stenosis.
Bone spurs are the most significant reason spinal compression occurs, and a laminectomy is often performed to correct it. Spurs are overgrown bones that extend into the spinal canal. This condition is often a side effect of arthritis or old age.
Symptoms
Specific symptoms will depend on the exact underlying problem. Compression illnesses can produce common symptoms like numbness, weakness, and pain in the back, legs, and arms. In more advanced cases, your mobility can be affected.
Solid Candidates for Decompression Surgery
Your surgeon might recommend the procedure if:
- Conventional Treatment Methods Did Not Work – In the early and uncomplicated stages of many spinal compression issues, doctors will first prescribe more conventional treatment options like pain medications and physical therapy. Should these options not ease your symptoms or the underlying problem worsens, you may be a candidate for laminectomy.
- Mobility Issues Arise – Compression could become severe enough to interfere with your ability to walk or possibly even stand up. If this is the case, decompression surgery is a viable option.
- Systemic Bodily Concerns Emerge – Spinal nerves can impact bowel or bladder functions. When compression is severe, the nerves controlling urination or defecation can become so damaged that you cannot manage them. These signs are indications that you may need to undergo a laminectomy.
- Herniated Discs Are Present – In certain instances, laminas are removed to enable orthopedic surgeons to access herniated discs.
Complications
If your spinal compression is not correctly addressed, the underlying condition may only worsen. Eventually, this could result in increased pain, disability, and paralysis in the most severe occurrences.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will identify specific spinal compression illnesses and determine your need for decompression surgery using MRIs, CT scans, or X-rays. These diagnostic tools capture images of your spine and enable doctors to diagnose an exact cause and gauge its severity.
Laminectomy Overview
During a laminectomy, surgeons remove damaged or diseased lamina. There are three specific types of laminectomies:
- Cervical (neck).
- Thoracic (middle back region).
- Lumbar (lower back).
Surgeons begin the procedure by making an incision over the area. Before reaching the affected lamina, your doctor might need to push away the surrounding muscles. Then, small surgical tools are used to collect and extract the lamina. When the laminas are being removed during herniated disc surgery, the damaged disc is typically also removed.
Vacated lamina is usually not replaced by any synthetic material. This is because enough bone and muscle still protect the spinal cord.
Recovery
A brief stay in the hospital usually follows surgery. Typically, you will likely need physical therapy once healing has progressed sufficiently. These are individually designed exercises geared towards helping your improving spine and surrounding regions regain any lost strength or mobility.
You might be able to return to work in as little as a few weeks after the procedure, contingent upon how physically demanding your work is.
Intended Benefits
A significant percentage of laminectomy patients experience less pain and increased mobility.
Next Steps
If you have been diagnosed with a spinal compression illness or injury, please reach out to us. Contact your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician today to learn more about laminectomy.
Areas of Focus
- Spine
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Discectomy
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Bone Cement Injection
- Degenerative Disk Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discectomy
- Discitis Treatment & Information
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Foraminotomy
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
- Kyphoplasty (Balloon Vertebroplasty)
- Kyphosis
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
- Lumbar Interbody Fusion (IBF)
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Fusion
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Vertebroplasty
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Laminectomy:
Specialties
- AC Joint Injuries
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion Surgery
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Discectomy
- Arthroscopic Articular Cartilage Repair
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopy Of the Ankle
- Articular Cartilage Restoration
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa - Fluid In Elbow
- Atraumatic Shoulder Instability
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bone Cement Injection
- Bone Growth Stimulation
- Bone Health Clinic
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Clavicle Fractures
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Common Foot Fractures in Athletes
- Community Outreach
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Deep Thigh Bruising
- Degenerative Disk Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discectomy
- Discitis Treatment & Information
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries & Inner Elbow Pain in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot Stress Fractures
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Foraminotomy
- Fractured Fingers
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Groin Strains and Pulls
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus Surgery - Cheilectomy
- Hammer Toe
- Hamstring Injuries
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand & Wrist
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Shoulder
- Heat Injury/Heat Prostration
- High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmosis Ligament Injury)
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
- Interventional Pain Management
- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Joint Replacement
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphoplasty (Balloon Vertebroplasty)
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- Little League Shoulder
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
- Lumbar Interbody Fusion (IBF)
- MACI
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
- Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- Muscle Strains of The Calf
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Neurosurgery
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopaedic Trauma
- Orthopedic Physician Or A Podiatrist? Definition of a Podiatrist
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Plastic Surgery
- Podiatry
- Primary Care Sports Medicine
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Radial Tunnel Syndrome (Entrapment of the Radial Nerve)
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Runner's Knee
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Senior Strong
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Injury: Pain In The Overhead Athlete
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Separations
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Foot Injuries
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sports Wrist and Hand Injuries
- Sprained Ankle
- Sprained Wrist Symptoms and Treatment
- Subacromial Decompression
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow Treatment
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery
- Trapezius Strain (Muscle Strain of The Upper Back)
- Traumatic Shoulder Instability
- Tricep Pain & Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- Turf Toe
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wound Care
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Tendonitis
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