Whether a person needs spinal stenosis surgery depends on the effectiveness of non-surgical treatments, the amount of pain, and the patient's wishes. The surgeon typically removes, trims, or adjusts diseased parts causing the pressure or loss of alignment. Risks of spinal stenosis surgery include a tear in the membrane covering the spinal cord at the site of the operation, infection, or a blood clot.
When non-surgical spinal stenosis treatment methods do not work to relieve pain, doctors may recommend spinal stenosis surgery. However, surgery might be considered immediately if a patient has numbness or weakness that interferes with walking, impaired bowel or bladder function, or other neurological involvement. Factors that can determine whether a patient needs surgery include:
The effectiveness of non-surgical treatments
The extent of the patient's pain
The patient's preference.
Spinal Stenosis Surgery: Laminectomy
The purpose of spinal stenosis surgery is to:
Relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves
Restore alignment and strength of the spine
Maintain alignment and strength of the spine.
Spinal stenosis surgery will generally entail removing, trimming, or adjusting diseased parts that are causing the pressure or loss of alignment.
The most common spinal stenosis surgery is called decompressive laminectomy, which is the removal of the lamina (roof) of one or more vertebrae to create more space for the nerves. A surgeon may perform a laminectomy with or without fusing vertebrae or removing part of a disk. Various devices may be used to enhance fusion and strengthen unstable segments of the spine following decompression surgery.
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