Lumbar laminoforaminotomy

In the natural process of ageing, ossification of the discs in the spine occurs, joints and ligaments together narrow the spinal canal and press on the spinal nerves most commonly in the segments we abbreviate as: L3-L4 and L4-L5. If, along with the narrowing, low back pain occurs and the characteristic symptom of pain radiating in the leg when moving and it reducing when stationary or in a flexed position, that state is called spinal stenosis.

As the disease progresses, pain, cramps, numbness in the legs occur, even when stationary. Neurological damage is also possible. This disease has a slow course through many years with periods of worsening and improvement. The disease is diagnosed by a specialist examination and MR imaging of the low back. Scientific evidence supports that surgical treatment od spinal canal stenosis is more effective than conservative treatment.

Sometimes these patients can be helped by applying epidural steroid injections, but this is temporary and lasts up to a few months. In patients which mostly have a bony lumbar stenosis, laminoforaminotomy is the method of choice.

With this surgical procedure, the spinal canal widens >50% and the spinal nerves are not compressed anymore. The surgery is done under the control of a microscope which reduces the risk of unwanted complications – nerve damage. All patients get up the second day and can leave the hospital after 3-4 days.

After rehabilitation is done, patients return to their routine daily activities after 2 months. When along with spinal stenosis, there is a deformity, stabilization of the spine is necessary. Lumbar spinal stenosis is a degenerative spine disease in older age which reduces the quality of life.

In St. Catherine Specialty Hospital, we perform microsurgical laminoforaminotomy. Leave your spine in the hands of the vertebrology team of St. Catherine Specialty Hospital – specialized for a healthy life.