Laminectomy and Discectomy

Laminectomy is a procedure that is performed through an incision on the lower back. The surgeon removes a section of bone, called the lamina, from one or more vertebrae. Discectomy is a minimally invasive technique that is used to remove the herniated portion of intervertebral disc.
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Discectomy-intro

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Why Choose Laminectomy or Discectomy?

In most cases, you require a discectomy if the problem is related to the vertebral discs, and a laminectomy if the problems are with the back of the vertebrae. Both surgeries relieve pressure on nerves and the spinal cord and your doctor will recommend based on your condition as they address different structures.

Discectomy and laminectomy can be performed together or alone to achieve relief from pain due to a herniated lumbar disc.

Is it Suitable for Me?

Pain in the spine can restrict your mobility and affect your quality of life. Laminectomy may be done to ease pressure on the spinal nerves, treat a disk problem, or remove a tumor from the spine.

A disc may be displaced or damaged due to injury or simply wear and tear. As the disc presses on the spinal nerves, this causes pain, and sometimes numbness or weakness. The most common symptom of a herniated disc is sciatica. If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms and having limited success with medical treatments, you may want to consider surgery.

Understanding the ProcedureLaminectomy

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This procedure is performed through an incision on the lower back. The surgeon removes a section of bone, called the lamina, from one or more vertebrae. This relieves pressure on the nerve roots caused by stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal).

  • 1) Removing the Spinous Process
    First, the surgeon removes the spinous process (the portion of the vertebra that protrudes furthest from the back of the spine). These are the bones that you feel when you touch the middle portion of your lower back.
  • 2) Removing the Lamina
    The surgeon removes the lamina (the portion of the vertebra that covers the nerve roots). Removing the damaged lamina opens up the spinal canal, taking pressure off the nerves.
  • 3) Clearing Bone Fragments
    There still may be some pinching from pressure within the area where the nerve root exits the spine, called the nerve foramina. The surgeon clears away any bone fragments that are pressing on the nerve roots.

End of Procedure
The spinal canal is now clear of any bone fragments, which relieves pressure from the nerve roots. The surgeon checks the nerve roots to make sure they are no longer being pinched.

Understanding the ProcedureDiscectomy

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This minimally invasive technique is used to remove the herniated portion of intervertebral disc. It is 95-98% effective in eliminating leg pain (sciatica) caused by nerve root compression. The procedure is performed through a small incision on the back.

This procedure is performed through an incision on the lower back. The surgeon removes a section of bone, called the lamina, from one or more vertebrae. This relieves pressure on the nerve roots caused by stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal).

The steps usually involve:

  • 1) Removing the spinous process: First the surgeon removes the spinous process (the back portion of the vertebrae that protrudes furthest from the back of the spine). These are the bones that you feel when you touch the middle portion of your lower back.
  • 2) Removing the Lamina: the surgeon removes the lamina (the portion of the vertebra that covers the nerve roots). Removing the damaged the lamina opens up the spinal canal, taking pressure off the nerves.
  • 3) Clearing bone fragments: There may have some remnant fragments that pinch the nerve roots as they exit the spinal canal in the nerve foramina.
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Treatment ProceduresLaminectomy and Discectomy may be used to treat the following conditions

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc occurs when inflammatory proteins from a disc’s inner core leak out.

Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease is when normal changes that take place in the discs of your spine cause pain.

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis happens when the spaces in the spine narrow and create pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.

Our team believes in understanding each and every patient in depth. This patient-centered approach has helped us greatly in ensuring that they are always progressing and meeting their recovery milestones.
Dr Loo Wee Lim— Orthopaedic Surgeon