Spinal Decompression Surgery

What is Spinal Decompression Surgery?

Spinal decompression surgery refers to a range of processes aimed at relieving pressure or compression conditions in the spinal cord or roots of the nerve. The patient has a number of options, including corpectomy, discectomy, laminotomy, foraminotomy or removal of osteophyte.

What are the symptoms leading to doctor’s recommending – Spinal Decompression Surgery?

• Pain
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness

Evaluations for Spinal Decompression Surgery

• X-rays
• MRI
• CT scan
• Electromyelogram

Treatment for Spinal Decompression Surgery 

These are common decompression procedures:

• Discectomy – This requires a part of a disk to be removed to ease pressure on adjacent roots of the nerve.
• Laminotomy/Laminectomy – These processes require removing a tiny portion of the spinal canal’s bony arches, called the lamina. Only one part of the lamina is removed during a laminotomy. The whole lamina is removed during a laminectomy. Removal of the lamina raises the size, reducing the pressure of the spinal canal.
• Foraminotomy/Foraminectomy – Both methods expand the nerve-root openings and remove a bone and a certain tissue from the spinal cord. A foraminectomy refers to a surgery whereby a large number of bones and tissues are removed.
• Osteophyte removal – This includes removing osteophyte or bone spurs from bony growths.
• Corpectomy – This is a surgery to remove a vertebra’s body and disks.

Estimated Costs