How long does a laminectomy surgery take?

How long does a laminectomy surgery take?

What is the success rate of a laminectomy?

Does laminectomy weaken the spine?

Is a Laminectomy a Major Surgery?

Laminectomy is one of the most common back surgeries. During a laminectomy, a surgeon removes the rear portion of one or more spinal bones (vertebrae). Bone spurs and ligaments that are pressing on nerves may be removed at the same time. Here's what to expect before, during, and after your laminectomy.

Laminectomy is a common but major surgery used to treat the symptoms of spinal stenosis. While the complications of this surgery are rare, there may be a few risk factors that can delay or prevent the success of the surgery.

Read more about: Laminectomy surgery

Read more about: Laminectomy Surgery Back Pain

Read more about: Laminectomy Surgery Recovery Time

The lamina is a posterior arch of the vertebral bone lying between the spinous process (which juts out in the middle) and the more lateral pedicles and the transverse processes of each vertebra. The pair of laminae, along with the spinous process, make up the posterior wall of the bony spinal canal. Although the literal meaning of laminectomy is 'excision of the lamina', a conventional laminectomy in neurosurgery and orthopedics involves excision of the supraspinous ligament and some or all of the spinous process. Removal of these structures with an open technique requires disconnecting the many muscles of the back attached to them. A laminectomy performed as a minimal spinal surgery procedure is a tissue-preserving surgery that leaves more of the muscle intact and spares the spinal process.

Another procedure, called the laminotomy, is the removal of a mid-portion of one lamina and may be done either with a conventional open technique or in a minimalistic fashion with the use of tubular retractors and endoscopes.

The reason for lamina removal is rarely, if ever, because the lamina itself is diseased; rather, it is done to break the continuity of the rigid ring of the spinal canal to allow the soft tissues within the canal to:

1) expand (decompress)

2)change the contour of the vertebral column

3) permit access to deeper tissue inside the spinal canal

A laminectomy is also the name of a spinal operation that conventionally includes the removal of one or both lamina, as well as other posterior supporting structures of the vertebral column, including ligaments and additional bone. The actual bone removal may be carried out with a variety of surgical tools, including drills, rongeurs and lasers.

The success rate of a laminectomy depends on the specific reason for the operation, as well as proper patient selection and the surgeon's technical ability. The first laminectomy was performed in 1887 by Victor Alexander Haden Horsley,a professor of surgery at University College London. A laminectomy can treat severe spinal stenosis by relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, provide access to a tumor or other mass lying in or around the spinal cord, or help in tailoring the contour of the vertebral column to correct a spinal deformity such as kyphosis. A common type of laminectomy is performed to permit the removal or reshaping of a spinal disc as part of a lumbar discectomy. This is a treatment for a herniated, bulging, or degenerated disc.

The recovery period after a laminectomy depends on the specific operative technique, with minimally invasive procedures having significantly shorter recovery periods than open surgery. Removal of substantial amounts of bone and tissue may require additional procedures such as spinal fusion to stabilize the spine and generally require a much longer recovery period than a simple laminectomy.

Read more about : Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Read more about : Hip Replacement Surgery

Read more about : Ankle Replacement Surgery

How long does a laminectomy surgery take?

A laminectomy usually takes one to three hours and a hospital stay of 1 to 4 days is typically required following a lumbar laminectomy surgery.

What is the success rate of a laminectomy?

The success rate of a lumbar laminectomy to alleviate leg pain from spinal stenosis is generally favorable. Research suggests:

85% to 90% of lumbar central spinal stenosis patients find relief from leg pain after an open laminectomy surgery.
75% of patients may have satisfactory outcomes for up to 10 years postoperatively.

Although the outcome of lumbar laminectomy is usually good, about 10% to 15% of patients may subsequently require a repeat surgery due to post-operative complications.

Improper diagnosis, physical deconditioning before and/or after surgery, and smoking are a few examples of causes for surgical failure. Choosing the right candidate who may benefit from this surgery can help prevent future complications.

Does laminectomy weaken the spine?

A well-known complication of lumbar laminectomy is excessive shear displacement in the intervertebral joint, leading to postoperative spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis. In most cases, the degree of bone, ligament or facet joint removal will not significantly affect the strength of the spine. However, depending on the amount of tissue removal and whether the spine has been weakened by arthritis, degenerative changes or previous surgery, the strength of the spine may be compromised.

Read more about: Laminectomy Surgery Time