- Decompression surgery is indicated when tissue presses on a nerve causing symptoms
- Goal of decompression is to remove the abnormal tissue this is pressing on nerves to eliminate compression and relieve symptoms
- Common decompression surgeries
- Laminectomy
- Removal of the lamina, the bone that covers the back of the spinal canal
- Performed through an incision on the back
- Includes removal of overgrown ligament (ligamentum flavum) and bone (the facet joint)
- Variations include
- Laminotomy - removing only a portion of the lamina to decompress the spinal canal
- Hemilaminectomy - removing only one side (right or left) of the lamina
- Hemilaminotomy - creating a hole in lamina on one side of the spinal canal
- Most common way of accessing a lumbar disc space (for lumbar discectomy)
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- Discectomy
- Removal of an intervertebral disc or portion of the disc
- Lumbar discectomy
- Often involves only removal of herniated fragments if disc
- Performed though incision on the back
- Can include complete discectomy, often preceding fusion procedure
- Is often performed with hemilaminotomy (see above)
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- Cervical discectomy
- Requires removal of most of the disc
- Performed through an incision on the front of the neck
- Because nearly the entire disc is removed, requires reconstruction
- Most commonly with fusion
- Often with disc replacement surgery (also known as arthroplasty or artificial disc surgery)
- Less common decompression surgeries
- Foramenotomy
- Removal of bone and tissue to increase the size of the neural foramen
- Facetectomy
- Removal of the facet joint, or a portion of the joint
- Corpectomy (also known as vertebrectomy)
- Removal of the vertebral body, or a substantial portion of the vertebral body
- Most often perfrormed when the vertebral body is damaged due to fracture, tumor, or infection