Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery

Also known as open lumbar decompression, lumbar laminectomy surgery is done on patients who suffer from lumbar spine pain which is a common symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis. Lumbar spinal stenosis is one of the most severe lumbar spinal conditions and is caused by neural impingement. Lumbar spinal stenosis is usually found in elder age group and it is caused by degenerative changes which then result in the enlargement of the facet joints.

In this type of lumbar surgery a specific portion of the disc material under the nerve root or the bone over the nerve root is removed so that the nerve root has more space to heal in a more suitable environmental. Lumbar laminectomy is very different from microdiscectomy which requires a longer incision and the muscle is stripped even more than open decompression surgery.

Causes for Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery

As mentioned above, lumbar laminectomy surgery is performed on patients who are suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis. In this condition, the patient suffers from severe leg pain and lower back pain because of neural impingement which happens when there is undue pressure on the nerve roots. This surgery helps the patient get respite from his pain and also helps him resume his normal life in a better and pain free way.

Recovery from Lumbar Laminectomy

After the surgical procedure the patient is kept in the hospital for one to three days after which the patient can go home. The recovery of the patient as well as his mobilization or ability to return to normal activities depends upon his health and his pre-operative condition. The recovery also depends upon the age of the patient as younger patients tend to make a better recovery then older ones. The recovering patients are advised not take up any heavy activities like lifting, twisting as well as bending.