Laminectomy

A laminectomy — or spinal decompression surgery — is performed with a goal of alleviating or eliminating leg pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, and/or difficulty walking. While it may improve low back pain associated with spinal stenosis, this is a procedure that best addresses leg pain conditions.

Laminectomy is one of the most common, basic, and successful operations of the spine. It involves removing portions of the bone, spinal ligaments, and arthritic portions of the facet joints from the back of the spinal canal that cause spinal cord and spinal nerve root compression. This procedure is best suited to treat leg pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling, as well as standing and walking intolerance. While this procedure often improves underlying back pain related to spinal nerve compression, this is not an operation to treat back pain. This procedure does not involve hardware or fusion of the spine, but can be used in conjunction with fusion procedures in patients where more extensive reconstruction is necessary. Laminectomy is typically an outpatient procedure, varying from a day surgery to overnight observation with more extensive decompressions.