Chronic back pain and other symptoms are pretty disruptive to your life. Spinal compression may hinder your daily activities. The best possible solution to this is therapy, which can be surgical or noninvasive, and is widely sought. Here is all you need to know to see if it is the right fit for you.
Alternate Name
Laminectomy, lumbar spine decompression
Body Location
Spine
Preparation
Before Surgery
- Usually, patients are admitted on the day of surgery. After admission, you will be interviewed by an anaesthetic doctor in the preoperative preparation room. You will be asked about your medical history and physical exam.
- You and the anesthesiologist will decide on the type of anaesthetic. This talk may occur up to 7 days before surgery during an outpatient visit.
- General anaesthesia (you sleep throughout the procedure) and spinal anaesthesia (you may be awake, but you will have no feeling from the waist down)
- You should inform the anesthesiologist of any current or past health conditions and previous procedures. Also, tell the anesthesiologist if you or anybody in your family has ever experienced anaesthetic issues.
Surgical Procedure
- Low back surgery can take 1 to 3 hours, depending on the method.
- A nurse will be with you in the recovery room until you awaken from the anaesthetic. An intravenous (IV) line will be placed into an arm vein. A catheter may be put into your bladder to help with urination.
- You will be transported to your hospital room when you are entirely awake.
- Before sending you home after an outpatient procedure, the nurses will check that you can walk, eat, and use the bathroom. They will also go over any postoperative instructions and explain how to use your pain medications.
Procedure Type
Your doctor may recommend one or several back surgeries to relieve pressure in your spine. Spinal fusion may also be required to stabilise your spine. The following are some of the most common back surgeries:
- Diskectomy involves removing a piece of the disc to relieve nerve pressure.
- To expand the spinal canal and relieve pressure, a surgeon removes a small amount of bone—either a segment of the bony arch or the complete bony arch.
- A surgeon conducts a foraminotomy to expand the openings for nerve roots.
- Osteophyte removal: During surgery, bony growths are removed.
- Removing a vertebral body and its related discs is known as a corpectomy.
Follow up
Your first follow-up appointment will be arranged based on the type of surgery and how well you recovered. Your doctor will evaluate your wound and remove any stitches, staples, glue, or drains that are still in place.
Risks
Though there are minimal using in spinal decompressing. Some of the risks associated with spinal decompression surgery include:
- Infection
- Allergy to Anaesthesia
- Bleeding
- Clots of blood
- Nerve or tissue damage is a common occurrence.
Recovery
You'll be sent to a recovery room after surgery, where your health care team will keep an eye on you for any complications from the surgery or anaesthesia. It's also possible to be asked to move your arms and legs. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help with pain at the incision site. Although some patients may require a brief hospital stay, you may be able to return home the same day as surgery.
Physical therapy may be recommended after a laminectomy/ spinal cord decompression to help you restore strength and flexibility. Depending on how much lifting, walking and sitting your job requires, you may be able to return to work within a few weeks. If you have a spinal fusion, your recovery time may be lengthened.
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