Why is a laminectomy performed?

 Bony overgrowths within the spinal canal can limit the space available for the spinal cord and nerves. This pressure can lead to pain, weakness, or numbness that may radiate down the arms or legs.

Since laminectomy restores the spinal canal space, it is used mostly as a means to alleviate radiating symptoms from compressed nerves.

In certain situations, a laminectomy can be necessary as part of surgery to treat a herniated spinal disk. The surgeon can remove part of the lamina to get access to the damaged disk.

 

How is a laminectomy performed?

Before the procedure

Patients must tell the doctor if they:

• Consume any prescription or over-the-counter medications, vitamins, or supplements
• Are pregnant or think that may be pregnant
• Are allergic or sensitive to any medications, anaesthetic agents, tape, or latex

 Before the surgery, the doctor can ask patients to :

• Avoid taking blood thinners like aspirin
• Avoid smoking if they are smokers
• Avoid eating or drinking up to 8 hours prior to the surgery

 The patients should arrange for someone to take them home after the surgery. They may also need to arrange for someone to be there in their house to help them when they are recovering.

During the procedure

Laminectomy is performed while patients are under anaesthesia. If patients are administered general anaesthesia, they will fall asleep during the procedure and if they have been administered spinal anaesthesia, they will be awake, though numb to pain. The patients will not experience any pain during the procedure. They will also be monitored throughout the surgery.

During surgery, the surgeon will perform the following steps:

• With an antiseptic solution, they will clean the skin over the surgical site to help prevent a bacterial infection
• Make a tiny cut in the middle of the back or neck
• Fold the skin, muscles, and ligaments sideways to get a better view
• Remove part or all of the lamina bones on the spine
• Remove bone spurs or small disk fragments
• Close the cut with stitches
• Cover the cut with sterile bandages

During the procedure, the surgeon can also perform a spinal fusion, a procedure in which two or more bones are connected in the back to better stabilize the spine. The surgeon may also do a foraminotomy in order to widen the area where the nerve roots go through the spine.

After the procedure

After surgery, the patients will be taken to the recovery room, where the health care team will look for any complications arising out of the procedure or the use of anaesthesia. The patients can also be asked to move their arms and legs. The doctor may prescribe medication to reduce pain at the site of the cut.

The patients can go home on the same day of the surgery, but some may be required to stay in the hospital for a while depending on the doctor’s recommendation. The doctor can also suggest physical therapy after a laminectomy to increase strength and flexibility.

Patients may return to work within a few weeks depending on the amount of lifting, walking, and sitting that their job involves. When patients also undergo spinal fusion along with laminectomy, then the recovery time will be longer.

 

What are the risks of a laminectomy?

 Laminectomy is generally a safe procedure. But like any other surgery there are risks involved, some among them are:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood clots
• Nerve damage
• Spinal fluid leak

 

Conclusion

As people get older, a compressed nerve in the spine is a normal problem that they can face. It can lead to severe problems like lower back pain that affects the mood or prevent people from enjoying life. Often, medications and physical therapy can provide relief from minor symptoms. When other treatments do not help, surgery may be an option.