Verified By Apollo Orthopedician April 18, 2022
1863Laminectomy is a surgery done to relieve pain due to spinal cord compression. The pressure over the spinal cord can arise because of some overgrowth known as bone spurs. It can cause pain, weakness, or numbness that goes down to the arms or legs.
To perform a laminectomy, the surgeon removes the lamina of the person. Lamina is a bone that forms the vertebral arch over the spine. By performing laminectomy, the spinal canal enlarges and thus relieves pressure over the spinal cord.
There are various types of laminectomy surgeries. These are:
Doctors recommend laminectomy if there are signs of a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when pressure arises in the spinal cord because of overgrowths in the spinal canal. And herniated disk occurs when the soft tissue between vertebrae pushes through a crack inside the spine.
In such conditions, there are various symptoms to look out for. These are:
Mostly aging is the major cause for doing laminectomy. To find out the underlying reason, various tests can prove helpful. These are:
During the laminectomy, the surgeon will disinfect and make the required incision (cut) over the skin. The skin, muscles, and ligaments are carefully moved sidewards to reach out to the spinal area. After that, lamina bone is cut, and misaligned vertebrae are corrected. If required, bone spurs are also removed. The incision is then closed with stitches after placing skin, ligaments, and muscles correctly.
After the surgery, doctors may ask you to walk on your own. Usually, the patient can go home the same day, but hospitalization for 1-3 days is also normal. For the coming few weeks, the patient should have rest and avoid:
The person should stick to the doctor’s prescription to have a speedy recovery. Ask the doctor or nurse to guide you on the proper cleaning procedure for the incision and stitches.
All surgeries have certain risks. The surgeon should take care of the following:
Although laminectomy rarely leads to any severe complications but nerve roots injuries and dural tears can take place. It is more common in old people.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) will leak out of tears in the dura mater (the thick membrane surrounding the spinal cord). It is a serious issue that causes additional complications, like dizziness, headaches, and seizures.
Always be in continuous guidance with your doctor. But a few self-care suggestions are:
Laminectomy is a surgery that will have a positive outcome and relieve you from pain. But, it is of prime importance to know the main underlying cause for such a condition. In most cases, this surgery is done with no complications, but some complications can occur only with very old people.
Discuss your full medical history with the doctor. Any allergies or medications should be disclosed to the doctor. Also, try not to smoke and consume alcohol just before surgery.
There are no side effects of laminectomy. But sometimes, it cannot fully relieve pain in the spine. People with spinal fusion are likely to have such problems.
Normally, the patient can return home the same day after the surgery. But, if the medical condition requires monitoring, you can be hospitalized for 1-3 days.
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July 7, 2023