The thought of having surgery on your spine can be intimidating. If you have tried to treat your spinal stenosis through medications or physical therapy but haven’t experienced any relief, your doctor may recommend surgery as the best way to find relief. Luckily, a minimally invasive alternative to traditional spinal surgery called a laminoforaminotomy can help.
If you suffer from spinal stenosis, you know what it is like to live each day with pain, numbness, and tingling sensations. Medications and steroid shots deliver temporary relief for these symptoms, but generally, only surgery can correct the source of the symptoms within the spinal canal. You can trust the award-winning and experienced surgeons at NJ Spine & Orthopedic to perform this minimally invasive surgery and get you the care you need.
What Is a Laminoforaminotomy?
A laminoforaminotomy is an outpatient procedure used to treat people suffering from spinal stenosis. Specifically, the procedure can be used to fix herniated discs, bone spurs, bulging discs, and facet hypertrophy, which all can result from spinal stenosis and place pressure onto the spinal cord. A doctor usually recommends surgery only after other treatments fail to provide a patient with adequate relief. These other treatments usually consist of medications, physical therapy, and steroid injections.
During a laminoforaminotomy, the surgeon will make a very small incision and then carefully remove the bone or other tissue that is compressing the spinal cord in order to make more room in the spinal canal. As a result, there should be no more pressure being placed on the spinal cord, and the patient should be relieved of any pain, numbness, and tingling that stemmed from such pressure before.
What Are the Advantages of a Laminoforaminotomy and How Is It Different From Traditional Spinal Surgery?
There are several advantages to having a laminoforaminotomy in lieu of traditional spinal surgery. To begin, a laminoforaminotomy is minimally invasive due to the very small incision the surgeon makes and operates within. This patient typically loses much less blood, and the recovery time is much quicker because no muscles or unnecessary tissues were cut into by the surgeon. When a patient undergoes a laminoforaminotomy, they can often return home on the same day as the procedure. This reduces the risk of infection that comes with staying in a hospital overnight.
A laminoforaminotomy differs from traditional spinal surgery in a couple of ways. While the goal of both types of procedures is to relieve the pressure being put on the spinal cord, one option is much more invasive than the other. In a traditional open spine surgery, the incision is much larger, and the surgeon cuts through more muscle and tissue to reach the area on which to operate. The recovery after a traditional spinal surgery is also much longer, and the pain is often more severe due to how invasive the incision was. Additionally, traditional spinal surgery comes with an increased risk of infection due to the nature of the incision and the need to remain in the hospital after surgery.
Reach Out to the Skilled Surgeons at NJ Spine & Orthopedic Today to See if You Need a Laminoforaminotomy
Living with spinal stenosis often involves relentless symptoms, such as pain, numbness, and tingling sensations. Surgery may be the best way to treat your spinal stenosis when other conservative treatments fail. Our experienced physicians and surgeons would be happy to discuss whether or not a laminoforaminotomy would be the best option for you.
At NJ Spine & Orthopedic, we value the well-being of our patients, and our skilled team of surgeons knows how to perform a laminoforaminotomy with precision and care. If you want to discuss this procedure with one of our doctors, our Concierge Team would be happy to help you with the appointment planning process. Feel free to fill out our contact form or call (866) 553-0612 to begin the process of finding relief for your spinal stenosis.