Hemilaminectomy procedure

It is a well-known fact that back pain is among the most common types of pain experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. Research shows that about 80 per cent or above Americans suffer from general back pain or lower back pain. National Institutes of Health reports that lower back pain is also known as the Lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is commonly responsible for back pain. A decompressive lumbar hemilaminectomy is a surgical method used to treat lower back pain.

Surgeons from complete medical wellness help you solve your spinal problems.

What is lamina

Lamina is a thin layer of bone covering and protecting the spinal cord. The thickness of the lamina can increase as a result of injury or compression of spinal nerves that results in pain or disability.
A report by the American Academy of pain shows that back pain is becoming a leading reason for disability in people under the age of 45.
The causes of back pain include an injury, or it can be chronic pain that results from a degenerative disease like spinal stenosis. Healthcare providers can treat back injuries and spinal diseases with nonsurgical methods. In certain cases, minimally invasive surgery is used to reduce pain and restore normal body functions.

What is hemilaminectomy surgery?

A hemilaminectomy is a spinal surgery involving the removal of one lamina on a vertebra to reduce excessive pressure on spinal nerves in the upper or lower back. The healthcare providers may suggest hemilaminectomy surgery to reduce the symptoms of back pain and leg pain.

Why is hemilaminectomy surgery conducted?

The aim of a hemilaminectomy is to create space between vertebras to reduce pressure on nerves and tissues and reduce pain. The surgical procedure is executed to treat certain reasons like

1. Spinal stenosis.
2. Herniated disc.
3. Pinched nerve.
4. Bone spur.
5. Spinal Osteoarthritis.
6. Enlargement of facet joints.

The procedure is also done to remove ligament flavum, a thickened ligament in the spinal canal.

What is the hemilaminectomy procedure?

• The hemilaminectomy procedure requires creating small incisions along the backbone midline. Healthcare providers use special retractors on muscles and soft tissues to get an overview of the spinal canal without making cutting or opening structures.
• The surgeon inserts an endoscope to visualize the whole area.
• Through this opening, the surgeon removes a part of the lamina and other substances that cause compression, like damaged disc material or bone spurs to minimize the relevant symptoms as well.
• Once they remove other substances from the affected area, they place back the muscles and tissues, then stitch the incision completely.

How long does the hemilaminectomy procedure take to complete?

Generally, hemilaminectomy is not a major surgery. It takes 70 to 85 minutes; the surgeon retains the patient overnight in the hospital after the surgery. You must discuss the pros and cons of this procedure with your surgeon.

Recovery time of hemilaminectomy procedure

It takes ten days to recover the outer skin from hemilaminectomy, and sutures are removed in this time period. You will be able to return to normal activities within four to six weeks. If the recovery process is slow, you can start physical therapy or post-surgical rehabilitation after six weeks.
According to experts, hemilaminectomy is advantageous as compared to other spinal surgeries. Hemilaminectomy surgery causes fewer injuries to ligaments, muscles and bone around the spine. It helps in early recovery.
The spinal surgeon at complete medical wellness uses minimally invasive techniques to make recovery easy and earlier with the lowest level of pain.
A hemilaminectomy is combined with other procedures in order to recover spinal conditions that come with additional symptoms. For example, if you are suffering from severe disc damage, hemilaminectomy discectomy surgery can be the right choice. The surgeon removes a part of the lamina and then removes the damaged disc.

When to opt for a hemilaminectomy procedure

Consider having a hemilaminectomy If you are suffering from
Pinched nerve
Degenerative disc condition
Herniated disc
Spinal stenosis
Spina Arthritis
If you have nerve compression, you may experience the symptoms, including
Decreased sensation or numbness
Sharp aching or burning pain
Tingling
Muscular weakness

Key takeaways

Both nonsurgical and surgical treatments are used to treat pain and related symptoms. Surgical treatments are used to recover serious symptoms. The procedure depends on the nature of your problem. The surgical team at complete medical wellness is well-versed and experienced in performing hemilaminectomy accompanied by other spinal procedures. Healthcare providers use minimally invasive surgical techniques to speed up your recovery. In minimally invasive techniques, small incisions and less scarring result in less infection risk and complications and less disorder of nerves, muscles and soft tissues.
If home remedies are not working well and the symptoms remain, hemilaminectomy can be a good option to get rid of these conditions.