Lumbar Laminectomy Can Relieve Pinched Nerve Problems

Lumbar laminectomy is a surgical procedure that removes a portion of the lamina, the bony sheath that surrounds the spinal canal, to relieve pressure on a pinched nerve. Prior to considering surgery, several therapies are used to manage back and leg pain that is caused by compression of a nerve root within the lumbar spine. Several of these spinal therapies include exercises to loosen the spine, physical therapy, medications, and lumbar epidural steroid injections. These non-operative treatments are not always effective in providing acceptable and sustained pain relief in all patients. In appropriate patients, a spinal surgery procedure such as lumbar laminectomy may be recommended. Imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs are helpful in identifying the problem and are helpful with preoperative planning.

Several Spinal Conditions Respond to Lumbar Laminectomy

Lumbar laminectomy may be appropriate for people with lumbar spinal stenosis, herniated disc, and other related conditions. Spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition in which the spinal canal narrows, due to a combination of facet joint enlargements, arthritis, and disc bulging which ultimately compresses or puts pressure on the spinal nerves and tissues. As people age, the ligaments in the spine stiffen and harden, discs bulge, bones and joints enlarge, and bone spurs (osteophytes), form. The combination of these may lead to spinal stenosis. Spondylolisthesis, where one vertebrae slips over another, can also lead to compression of spinal nerves. This can also require surgery. Lumbar laminectomy surgery involves removing a small portion of the bone, disc, and tissue from the lumbar spine that is impinging on the nerve roots and tissues, which relieves the pressure. New Jersey Spine Specialists’ team of orthopedic spine surgeon has performeds numerous lumbar laminectomy procedures on many patients throughout the New York-New Jersey tri-state region including towns like Watchung and Warren, and throughout Morris and Middlesex Counties. With a national reputation for excellence in advanced spinal procedures, patients from across the country often seek out care from our board certified physicians. If you are seeking information and solutions for your back problems, please call or email us, and we will be happy to schedule you for a consultation with our physicians at either of our offices in Summit and Montclair New Jersey.

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