You may not have any symptoms in the early stages of spinal stenosis. However, as stenosis progresses, it may start affecting the nerves in the surrounding area, creating or exacerbating symptoms. The condition can advance to a point when treatment options like taking pain medications, exercise, or cortisone shots cannot relieve the symptoms anymore, or more adverse symptoms like paralysis and loss of bowel and bladder control now exist.
That’s when your spinal stenosis surgeon may recommend surgery. Depending on how advanced your condition is will depend on whether minimally invasive or open surgery techniques will be applied. Knowing that options are available to eliminate or significantly reduce your pain and symptoms, even in the most advanced stages of spinal stenosis, should give you peace of mind. Our team at NJ Spine & Orthopedic can help evaluate your medical records and provide a treatment approach to alleviate your spinal stenosis symptoms.
The Difference Between Minimally Invasive and Open Surgery
Open surgery may have to be performed if your spinal stenosis needs significant repairs to resolve your symptoms. This method often results in long surgery times and creates considerable injury to the soft tissues that have to be manipulated during the course of the surgery. The patient will have a prolonged hospital stay and endure a lengthy recovery.
Minimally invasive surgery, however, only requires small incisions. A camera with a working tube will be inserted into the incision. The surgeon can look at a display of the affected area while manipulating surgical tools inserted into the working tube. There’s very little soft tissue disturbed and injured during minimally invasive surgery. This results in shorter surgery times, little to no hospitalization needed, and recovery times are shortened.
The Surgery Options a Surgeon May Consider For Your Stenosis Condition
Since several symptoms can contribute to the narrowing of your spinal canal and vertebrae nerve passages, the surgeon will consider the surgery option that will fix the underlying cause of your stenosis. The underlying reasons that can contribute to a stenosis condition are:
- Slipped discs
- Bone spurs
- Tumors
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Calcification of bones and ligaments
- Slipped or fractured bones in the vertebrae
- Inherited conditions like scoliosis
Types of Surgical Options for Spinal Stenosis
Your surgeon may perform a laminectomy to remove a portion of the vertebrae bone called the lamina, freeing up space for nerves. During the process of the laminectomy, the surgeon will remove any slipped discs and bone spurs that may be contributing to the problem.
A foraminotomy may be necessary to widen the space where the nerve roots leave the spinal canal. The surgeon will remove excess material like calcification to enlarge the space.
With the advancement of medical technology, the surgeon may also perform a minimally invasive laminoforaminotomy. A long narrow tube can be inserted into a tiny hole the size of a dime or nickel to perform laminectomies and foraminotomies. The ability to perform laminoforaminotomies can also repair severe slippage of vertebrae bones that compromise the space around nerves and nerve roots.
Make sure to consult with a doctor to determine what surgical option may be best for your spinal stenosis.
Consult the Spine Surgeons at NJ Spine & Orthopedic For Your Neck and Back Pain
At NJ Spine & Orthopedic, spinal stenosis surgeons can help alleviate even the most severe symptoms. We can apply minimally invasive or open surgery techniques to repair the underlying cause of your stenosis condition.
Our spinal surgeons at NJ Spine & Orthopedic are board certified and have many years of experience eliminating or significantly reducing pain and symptoms stemming from spinal conditions. If you have chronic neck or back pain and arm or leg numbness, tingling, and weakness, call (866) 553-0612 or complete our contact form to resolve your spinal stenosis condition.