Spinal stenosis in the cervical region of your spine can cause pain, numbness and other debilitating symptoms. If you have spinal stenosis and have explored other options without success, cervical laminectomy may be a great option for you.
What is Cervical Laminectomy?
The cervical region of your spine spans from the base of your skull to the base of your neck. The spinal cord passes through this area via the spinal canal and then spreads out to deliver neural messages between your brain your body. Spinal stenosis causes narrowing of this space and leads to symptoms such as weakness, numbness, pain, or tingling in one or both arms. Other signs of this can manifest as having a hard time walking or bowel and bladder control issues.
A cervical laminectomy is performed to relieve the pressure caused by this narrowing. This entails a surgery done under general anesthesia. Your surgeon will create an incision along the center of your neck. He or she will then move muscles aside and detach the muscles from the affected vertebrae(s). Using specialized instruments the lamina (bone on either side of the spinal canal) will be cut and removed. This alleviates the pressure on your spinal cord. The laminectomy may be supplemented with a fusion and stabilization. Your surgeon will then carefully close the muscle layer over your spinal cord to ensure it is protected and use sutures, staples or tissue glue (or a combination of) to close the skin.
Recovery after Cervical Laminectomy
When your surgery is over you’ll be moved to the recovery room where you’ll wake up from anesthesia. Once you are ready, you’ll be moved to a room to finish your recovery in the hospital.
Most individuals spend about 2-3 days in the hospital. During this time you’ll be asked to walk and assessments of your nerve function will be made. You may or may not be directed to wear a neck brace.
When you’re ready to go home make sure you’ve made arrangements for transportation, as you won’t be able to drive right away. Follow your surgeon’s instructions on activity, pain medication use, and restrictions to ensure the best possible outcome.
During the first week, it’s not unusual to feel tired. Rest as much as possible – it takes a lot of energy for your body to heal. Taking short walks a few times a day will help to increase blood circulation and keep your muscles in shape. Don’t lift anything heavier than five pounds – this is critical for proper healing and to avoid causing further damage. When you shower, be sure to try and keep your wound site fairly dry and do not allow the water to directly hit it. Thoroughly pat dry and apply a new dressing (if your doctor has directed you to use them) as soon as you get out of the shower.
In the second week, you can expect to be feeling more energetic. You may have increased your activity level a bit and resumed tasks such as light cooking or childcare. By the third week, you can likely return to a light-impact job such as desk work or other non-strenuous occupations.
Sometime between weeks 4 and 6, you will return for a follow-up consultation with your surgeon. You may have X-rays taken to track the healing progression. In many instances, your surgeon will release you to start physical therapy at this time. If all is healing as planned you may be allowed to return to a higher-impact job.
A highly-nutritious and well-balanced diet will be extremely helpful during this time. Limiting consumption of alcohol and taking vitamin supplements can also provide some positive support for a quicker recovery.
Risks of Cervical Laminectomy
Every surgical procedure carries risks. Cervical laminectomy is no different. Nonetheless, the benefits often far outweigh any potential problems that might arise. Some of the most common risks for cervical laminectomy include:
- Compromised function due to damage to the spinal cord or nerves during surgery. Luckily, this is very uncommon, as monitoring tools such a Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SSEP’s) and Motor Evoked Potentials (MEP’s) are frequently used to monitor nerve and spinal cord function.
- Infection is also a possibility but is quite low.
- Bleeding is a risk with any surgery that requires an incision, but again, is fairly uncommon.
- Dural tears can occur if the dura mater (the membrane surrounding the spinal cord) is nicked or caught.
- Instability in the spinal column is a possibility – especially in instances where there was more than one vertebra involved. In these cases, spinal fusion may also be warranted.
Is a Cervical Laminectomy Right for Me?
Ultimately, the decision to have surgery lies in your hands. Deciding to have cervical laminectomy takes some thought and research. Talking with your surgeon will help shine a light on just how it might be helpful for you. Some questions to ask yourself may include:
- Is my condition affecting my day-to-day life?
- Am I in pain on a regular basis?
- Do I have a degenerative disease that will increasingly get worse without intervention?
- Is my spinal cord at risk of becoming permanently damaged?
Asking yourself these questions will allow you to better determine for yourself if cervical laminectomy is the right choice for you.