A laminectomy is a surgical procedure in which the lamina, or the back part of the vertebrae that cover the spinal canal, is removed. According to the Mayo Clinic, a laminectomy enlarges the spinal canal. For this reason, the procedure is also known as decompression, because it relieves pressure on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves. Laminectomies are most commonly performed in cases of spinal stenosis or herniated discs. During a laminectomy, a surgeon makes an incision into the back and removes the lamina. Some patients may go home the same day as their surgery; others may require a one- to three-day hospital stay depending on the reason for their laminectomy and other factors such as age and risk for complications.
Infection
One possible complication of a laminectomy is an infection. According to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, an infection may occur at the skin level or in the bone. Infections at the skin level are treated with antibiotics. Infections that occur in the bone or deeper tissues may be more difficult to treat. In addition to antibiotics, surgery may be part of the treatment for infected portions of the spine.
Nerve Damage
Medline Plus reports that damage to the spinal cord or spinal nerve may occur during a laminectomy. These injuries may result from inadvertent cutting of nerve tissue during the procedure, swelling around the nerves or the development of scar tissue after the procedure. Nerve damage can lead to numbness, tingling or loss of feeling to various areas of the body depending on the location of the nerve damage.
Spinal Instability
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports that portions of the spine may become unstable after a laminectomy. Once the lamina is removed, the vertebrae depend on the facet joints of the bone to keep the spine stable. Facet joints are joints on the back of the spine that link vertebrae together and allow for movement in the spine. If these joints degenerate due to disease, age or trauma, the spine may become unstable. Patients who develop spinal instability may require spinal fusion to stabilize the spine.
Ongoing Pain
According to Medline Plus, some patients continue to experience back pain even after a laminectomy. In other cases, pain is relieved for a while but then returns. Persistent or recurrent pain is particularly common when laminectomies are performed for chronic degenerative disease like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Additional treatments or surgeries may be necessary to provide relief from pain that occurs after a laminectomy.
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