Spinal Foraminotomy surgery takes pressure off of a nerve in your spinal column. This allows the spine to move more easily. Patients feel improvement in their symptoms and are relieved of their pain which is caused by nerve root compression. Foraminotomy surgery is thus very useful in lessening the pain caused by nerve compression.
Patients are admitted in hospitals for the procedures. For more details and free consultation, you can fill in the inquiry form on our website. All your medical queries will be answered.
- Stop using aspirin or any other prescribed or over-the-counter medicine before your procedure Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any medicine.
- You may need some tests prior to the procedure to evaluate your medical condition, like MRI or X-ray of your spine.
- If you are a smoker, you need to stop smoking.Stop taking medicines that make it harder for your blood to clot.
- If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical problems, see your regular doctor.
- Talk with your doctor about your smoking and alcohol consumption.
- Let your doctor know right away if you get a cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illnesses.
- Visit a physical therapist to learn exercises to do before the Foraminotomy surgery.
- Don't drink or eat anything for 6 to 12 hours before the Foraminotomy procedure.
During the Foraminotomy surgery, you will be asleep with general anesthesia. A cut is made in the center back of your spine. Skin, muscles and ligaments are moved to the side. A surgical microscope could be used to see the inside of your back. Some bone is excised to open the nerve root opening. Other bone may be taken out at the back of the vertebrae to create space. To assure your spinal column is stable a spinal fusion may be done. The muscles and other tissues are placed back. The skin is then sutured together.
The patients are kept in the recovery room while the doctors closely monitor their improvements if you are operated upon the neck, you will have to wear a soft neck collar. Most people get out of bed and sit up within a few hours of the surgery. Be careful while moving your neck. You should be able to drive within a week's time and resume light work after a month. If you are not wearing the neck collar, you will be instructed to move your neck carefully. Physical therapy is recommended when patients have extra pain or weakness.
- What conditions are treated with a Foraminotomy surgery?
- What is the cause of Spinal Stenosis?
- What is involved with Spinal Foraminotomy surgery?
- What symptoms are relieved with Spinal Foraminotomy surgery?
- What is the overall success rate?
- Should I have the Foraminotomy surgery?
- When should I call my doctor?
Spinal Stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal or foramina) is the most common reason why patients undergo a Foraminotomy. Less common conditions that can lead to stenosis and require a decompression include facet cysts, fractures and tumors.
There's no relevant reason as to why some people have Spinal Stenosis and others don't. Soft tissue and bony structures narrow the areas of neural elements in the spinal canal. Narrowing in the spinal canal is called central stenosis and narrowing in the foramina is foraminal stenosis.
A one-inch incision is made on your back. A needle is inserted through the skin incision onto your spine. A series of dilators are used to spread the muscle tissue instead of cutting it. After the needle and dilators are removed, the tube retractor is clipped to secure it in place. Then the Foraminotomy surgery is performed through this tube. For better visualization, a microscope is used. The Foraminotomy surgery takes about an hour per level
Buttocks and leg pain, numbness, tingling, aching, heaviness, weakness and inability to walk are symptoms relieved with this surgery.
The success rate for this procedure is around 80-90 percent.
If your way of life is majorly affected by the spinal stenosis symptoms, this procedure can change your life.
Call your doctor if you have the following symptoms: