A minimally invasive laminotomy is a surgical procedure to relieve pressure on nerves that is causing pain and weakness to the patient. A ruptured disc putting pressure on nerves within the spine may be causing pain in the patient’s arms or legs.
During the minimally invasive laminotomy, a small incision is made over the ruptured disc. The procedure can be performed with the patient asleep or awake with numbing medication injected into the spine. An endoscope is used to look down the small incision site to increase the viewing field for the spine surgeon. The muscles of the spine are retracted to the side and the nerve root is exposed by removing a tiny section of the lamina covering the nerves. This is essentially the procedure and helps take disc pressure off the nerves and nerve root. The patient’s back is then closed and antibiotic and pain medication will be give to the patient.
In most cases, a minimally invasive laminotomy is performed as an outpatient procedure or 23 hour stay.
