Pinched Nerve Surgery – Pinched Nerve

A laminotomy uses an endoscopic approach to opening the spinal canal. Because of the minimally invasive nature of the procedure, long hospital stays and the use of general anesthesia is no longer necessary. For this reason a laminotomy is able to be performed in an outpatient surgical setting. It is important to note that a laminotomy is not a laminectomy.

The goal of a laminotomy is to remove pressure from the spinal canal for exiting nerve roots and the spinal cord. This increased the available space for the neural tissue, releasing the nerve.

Occasionally the ligamentum flavum (a ligament in the spinal canal) will thicken to a point that it compresses the spinal cord, attributing to spinal stenosis development. This condition can be corrected by undergoing a laminotomy procedure, where the ligamentum can be removed to provide space for the impinged nerve.

Pinched nerve surgery - foraminotomy

A foraminotomy is a minimally invasive endoscopic approached used to open the foramen without the need for long hospital stays and general anesthesia. This procedure can be performed in an outpatient surgical setting.

When nerve(s) are compressed by the intervertebral foramen, a foraminotomy is performed to relieve this pressure and increase the amount of space available to nerves exiting the spinal canal through the foramen.

Symptoms of nerve root compression may be caused by pressure being applied to a nerve root from a bone spur, injured spinal disc, scar tissue, or excessive development of the ligamentum flavum resulting in a pinched nerve.

Pinched nerve surgery - percutaneous endoscopic discectomy

Problematic herniated/bulging disc material compressing a nerve root or the spinal cord can be removed when a percutaneous endoscopic discectomy procedure is performed. This procedure is condisdered minimally invasive because there is no need for long hospitalization or use of general anesthesia. This procedure can be preformed in an outpatient surgical setting.

A percutaneous endoscopic discectomy is performed if the patient’s history, physical examination and imaging show that material from a bulging or herniated disc has not ruptured into the spinal canal. Surgery is performed to correct signs of serious nerve damage in the leg, severe weakness, and loss of coordination and feeling.