Surgical Management of Back Pain

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A laminectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove all or part of the lamina (a part of the vertebral bone), to relieve pressure on the nerves or spinal cord. This is commonly used to treat spinal stenosis. 

This surgery is performed when a patient presents with a herniated disc. This is a minimally invasive spine surgery that removes all or part of a herniated disc to relieve pain and other associated symptoms caused by nerve compression. 

This surgery is commonly performed to relieve pain typically caused by worn discs in the spine (degenerative disc disease). In a fusion surgery, two or more vertebrae are fused together to stabilize the spine. The spine surgeon uses hardware to hold bones in place while the graft fuses vertebrae together. 

This surgery is commonly performed to relieve pain typically caused herniated discs or bone spurs in the neck that cause pressure on the nerve roots or spinal cord. This is commonly referred to as ACDF surgery (Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion).

Sometimes with age or injury, compression fractures of the vertebrae can occur. A kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery where the spine surgeon will inject cement into the crack in the fractured vertebrae to restore bone height and therefore relieve pain. 

A revision surgery may be needed to correct problems that arise after a previous spine surgery, such as a recurrent disc herniation, a failed fusion, or to address degeneration above or below a previous fusion site. 

A corpectomy is a surgical procedure whereby a part of the vertebrae is removed to allow more space for the spinal cord.