Lumbar Spine Surgery: Information on Surgery Types, Treatment, and Recover
Lumbar spine surgery is meant to help alleviate lower back pain conditions which can be caused from disc damage (i.e. degenerative disc disease, herniated disc) or other lumbar spine conditions (i.e. spondylolisthesis). Surgery should be a last resort for dealing with back problems and back pain issues. This page provides an in-depth, up-to-date list of resources and information on decompression surgery topics, including decompression, microdiscectomy, and other lumbar spine surgery options
Lumbar Laminectomy (Open Decompression)
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A lumbar laminectomy (also known as open decompression)
is typically performed to alleviate pain caused by neural impingement
that can result from lumbar
spinal stenosis. The laminectomy
is designed to remove a small portion of the bone over the nerve
root and/or disc material from under the nerve root to give
the nerve root more space and a better healing environment.
Spinal
stenosis is a condition that primarily afflicts
elderly patients, and is caused by degenerative changes that
result in enlargement of the facet joints. The enlarged joints
then place pressure on the nerves, and this pressure may be
effectively relieved with a lumbar laminectomy.
Laminectomy surgical procedure
The lumbar laminectomy (open decompression) differs from a microdiscectomy
in that the incision is longer and there is more muscle stripping.
- First, the back is approached through a two-inch to five-inch long incision in the midline of the back and the left and right back muscles (erector spinae) are dissected off the lamina on both sides and at multiple levels.
- After the spine is approached, the lamina is removed (laminectomy) which allows visualization of the nerve roots.
- The facet joints, which are directly over the nerve roots, may then be undercut (trimmed) to give the nerve roots more room.
Post-operatively, patients are in the hospital for one to three days, and the individual patient's mobilization (return to normal activity) is largely dependent on his/her pre-operative condition and age. Directly following a lumbar laminectomy for spinal stenosis, patients are encouraged to walk. However, it is recommended that patients avoid excessive bending, lifting or twisting for six weeks in order to avoid pulling on the suture line before it heals.
