Lumbar Laminectomy
A laminectomy removes part or all of the lamina, the bone that covers the back of the spinal canal. It is most often used to relieve pressure on the nerves from spinal stenosis, which can cause leg pain, numbness, or weakness when walking or standing. The purpose of this procedure can be to free nerve roots, remove a tumor or bone spur, or prepare for certain fusion procedures.
Removing the lamina (laminectomy) is much like removing the cover on a fuse box to access the wiring. By removing the lamina, Dr. Radcliff gains access to the disc area and frees more space for the nerves inside.
A laminectomy is often used to treat recurrent disc herniations, or where scar tissue is involved. Laminectomy may also be used in cases of spinal stenosis in which the entire canal is narrowed like a ring on a swollen finger.
Procedure
During the surgery, Dr. Radcliff makes a one- to two-inch incision in the low back. He then removes part of the lamina of one or more vertebrae to gain access to the disc area. Dr. Radcliff will then remove any fragments that may have broken away from the disc, as well as the part of the disc that is herniated and pressing on a nerve root. The entire disc is not removed. If it were, you would lose the shock-absorbing function of the disc between the vertebrae. Instead, Dr. Radcliff typically removes the part of the disc that has ruptured outward, along with another 10 or 20 percent of the disc, in order to prevent future problems from arising.
Recovery
Patients who undergo minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy tend to recover much faster than those who have an open spine surgery. Many patients return to normal activities in about six weeks. During the first six weeks post-surgery, most patients will need to restrict activities, though the degree to which activity is restricted will be set by Dr. Radcliff based on your overall health and recovery.