What are laminotomy and laminectomy?
Laminotomy and laminectomy are two surgeries to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves. This is also called decompression surgery. As you get older or if you have an injury, the opening for the spine gets smaller. This condition is called stenosis.
During a laminectomy, the doctor removes pieces of the bony covering (the lamina) and other tissues that are squeezing the spinal cord and/or nerves. A laminotomy removes less of the bony covering. Both surgeries make the opening for the spinal cord and nerves larger.
How is a laminotomy or laminectomy done?
The doctor will make a cut (incision) over your spine. The muscles around your spine are pulled to the side so the doctor can work on the bones (vertebra) of the spine. The doctor can then trim thickened tissue, such as bulging discs. And the doctor can take out some bone to make the opening for the spinal cord or nerves larger.
Sometimes, after doctors make the opening larger, they will do another type of surgery called spinal fusion. The doctor will insert a small piece of bone from another part of the body or from a bone bank. This piece of bone can help the spine heal. Sometimes small plates and screws are used to keep the bones in place.
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