ABOUT LAMINECTOMY
A laminectomy is a surgical procedure performed to alleviate pressure from the spinal cord. The surgery involves removing part of the lamina, which is a vertebral bone, and in some cases part of the ligament. Part of the bone or ligaments can put pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, which causes weakness and numbness in the arms and legs.
A laminectomy is generally only performed after other methods of treatment such as medication and injections have failed to relieve symptoms. The surgery may also be performed as part of the treatment for a herniated disk.
The surgery is usually performed as open surgery, however, depending on the patient it may be performed as a minimally invasive surgery by creating a small incision and inserting a microscope with instruments attached to perform the surgery with.
After the surgery, patients are encouraged to walk and may need to attend physical therapy in the weeks preceding the surgery, to regain their strength.
Recommended for
- Arthritis in the spine
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated spinal disc
TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Number of days in hospital: 1 – 5 days.
- Average length of stay abroad: 2 weeks.
Patients will need to have their stitches removed after 2 weeks and it will take some time for them to be able to walk after the surgery.
- Number of trips abroad needed: 1.
COMPARE LAMINECTOMY PRICES AROUND THE WORLD
| Country | Cost |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 17899€ |
| Thailand | 8301€ |
HOW TO FIND QUALITY TREATMENT ABROAD
BEFORE LAMINECTOMY ABROAD
The patient will meet with the doctor ahead of the surgery to discuss the surgery. The patient should raise any questions or concerns that they may have before the surgery. The doctor will run a series of tests to ensure that the patient is healthy enough for surgery and to help plan the surgery, such as take an X-ray or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan.
The doctor will advise to refrain eating and drinking in the hours preceding the surgery, in order to prepare for the general anesthetic, which will be administered before the surgery begins.
Patients with complex conditions may benefit from seeking a second opinion before beginning a treatment plan. A second opinion means that another doctor, usually an expert with a lot of experience, will review the patient’s medical history, symptoms, scans, test results, and other important information, in order to provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. When asked, 45% of US residents who received a second opinion said that they had a different diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment plan.
HOW IS IT PERFORMED
Once placed under general anesthetic, the patient will be positioned lying on their front, and an incision is made at the area being treated. Once open, the muscle is pushed aside to gain access to the spine and part of the lamina is removed and some of the ligament if necessary. If the surgery is being performed to treat a herniated disk, then the part of the spinal disk is also removed.
After part of the bone has been removed, the muscle is then put back into place and the incision site is then closed with sutures.
Anesthesia
General Anesthetic.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER LAMINECTOMY
Post procedure care
Patients will need to keep the incision site clean and dry. The doctor may prescribe pain medication to manage pain and may recommend physical therapy. Patients should avoid any strenuous activity during the recovery time.
Possible discomfort
Patients may find it difficult to walk after the surgery and will need some time to recover.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LAMINECTOMY
Potential risks
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Nerve injury
- Spinal fluid leak
