Treatment Options:

Laminectomy

What is a Laminectomy?

On the back of your vertebra, there is the lamina. This is what covers over your spinal canal. A laminectomy is a procedure where the lamina is removed, thereby increasing the size of your spinal canal and removing pressure on the spinal cord and spinal nerves. Pressure on a spinal nerve or the spinal cord can cause severe pain in the neck, back, arms and legs. Laminotomy is an effective way to relieve a compressed nerve in the spinal cord.

What conditions are Laminectomies used to treat?

You may benefit from a laminectomy if some or all of the following conditions are true:

  • Conservative treatments have failed to improve your condition
  • Nerve compression has led to muscle weakness that affects your ability to stand or walk
  • You are experiencing incontinence as a result of nerve compression

Among the spinal conditions that may be treatable with laminotomy are:

  • Ankylosing spondylitis
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Herniated disc
  • Lumbar spinal stenosis
  • Sciatica
  • Spondylosis (also known as spinal osteoarthritis)