Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery is also called as open decompression. Lumbar
Laminectomy Surgery is carried out to cure the patient’s pain caused
by the neural impingement as a result of lumbar spinal stenosis.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a problem mostly occurring at old age due to
degenerative changes in the facet joints which get enlarged. This enlargement
causes pressure on the nerves and the patient will suffer from severe
back pain.
Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery includes removal of small area of the bone
known as lamina which is above the nerve root. Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery
is also used to remove the material from underneath the nerve root to
provide the nerve root with more space and a good healing environment.
In Lumbar
Laminectomy Surgery either one or both of the lamina and other posterior
structures of vertebral column are removed in cases of additional bone
and ligaments. In this surgery the lamina is removed mainly due to the
following facts:
• To break the continuity of spinal canal for allowing the soft tissues
inside the canal to get expanded. It is nothing but decompression.
• To change the contour of vertebral column.
• For the surgeon to easily get access to the tissues inside spinal
canal deeper.
When is Lumbar
Laminectomy Surgery Needed?
• When the back pain is more progressive and hence disabling the
movements.
• When the patient has severe back pain with herniated disk, known
as sciatica.
• When the pain due to sciatica interferes with day to day activities.
• When the patient has loss of nerve functions and loss of certain
reflex.
• When the patient is unable to move a foot or bend knee.
Lumbar
Laminectomy Surgery Procedure
Initially a small incision of about 3-4 inches is made by the surgeon
in the lower backside of the patient. Then the surgeon spreads the fatty
tissue of the spine and muscles to expose the lamina. After that, the
right and left back muscles are dissected off from the lamina on both
sides and a portion of lamina is removed.
This is to uncover a ligamentum flavum which helps connection of two vertebrae.
When the dissection is done, the lamina is removed. With this, laminectomy
is done and the nerve roots are made to visualize. Finally the facet joints
are undercut or trimmed to provide the nerve roots with more room.
Lumbar Laminectomy
Surgery Success Rate and Complications
Approximately 80% of the patients who underwent this surgery feel the
improvement with a greater reduction in pain and discomfort. However few
patients can have a complication of nerve root damage after this surgery.
There is a probability for the infections to occur. At rare cases, the
patient may not get back the full nerve function.
