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Laminectomy

Top Doctors
Top Doctors editorial
Top Doctors
Created by: Top Doctors editorial

The spinal column consists of 33 vertebrae that protect the spinal cord, so-called separated by intervertebral discs. When one of these discs is compressed, it can be fragmented and press on a nerve of the spinal cord, causing pain of varying severity depending on the location of the damaged disc. The lumbar laminectomy is a surgical procedure for the removal of part of the vertebra that is causing pressure on the spinal nerves or spinal cord to relieve pain it causes. The most common surgery is called laminectomy lumbar decompressive laminectomy, and involves removing the blade vertebra, increasing the space for the nerves in the spinal canal. In contrast, the posterior cervical laminectomy is the procedure in which the surgeon makes an incision in the back half of the neck to remove the blade of a bone vertebral arch, which depending on the case will require the removal of the entire damaged disk or a part.