Laminectomy in Kansas City

Prior to surgery, you will typically receive at least two phone calls:

• A hospital registration representative will call to gather insurance and other personal information.
• A registered nurse will call to review your health history and medication information.

Dependent on your health history, your physician may require:

• Pre-surgical laboratory tests
• X-rays
• Primary care clearance

Pre-operative instructions will vary depending on your physician and the location of your surgery.

Always check with your physician prior to surgery for his or her specific instructions.

Most physicians require that patients do not eat or drink after midnight prior to surgery.

Additionally, you will need to designate a family member or friend to drive you home on the day we release you from the hospital. Surgical patients cannot drive themselves home.

If you schedule your surgery at KCOI, you can expect the following on surgery day:

• A receptionist will check you in on the second floor at the hospital registration desk.
• A nurse will take you back and prepare you for surgery. He or she will start an IV, prepare the surgical site, and review your medical history and medications.
• Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will visit with you prior to your operation.
• The surgical team will take you to the operation suite for surgery.

A laminectomy, most times, is an elective procedure unless you experience motor weakness or balance and gait coordination issues. Fortunately, it’s a very well tolerated spine surgery and can result in rapid improvement and quality of life.

For a laminectomy procedure, we remove a small section of the vertebrae called the lamina—the bony arch that protrudes from the back of the spine.

We often perform the procedure on the lower back area; however, we also offer laminectomy for the neck or middle back based on the source of your pain.

During laminectomy surgery, you will remain asleep for the duration. Your provider will create a small incision in your lower back, access the spine, and remove the necessary bone (lamina) from the spine. By removing these bony pieces, we take pressure off of the spinal cord or nerve root and symptoms should alleviate.

If performed alone, a laminectomy is a relatively well tolerated spine surgery. Typically, you will spend one or two days in the hospital. In most cases, the recovery process lasts 4 to 6 weeks before your surgeon will clear you for normal activity. 

Once home for recovery, your physician will provide or recommend medications to help control your pain or symptoms.

Your treatment team will also advise you on specific movements to avoid after your laminectomy surgery. After 4 to 6 weeks, you can begin physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding muscles and regain mobility.

In certain instances, we must combine laminectomy surgery with a fusion of the adjacent spinal segments because of instability. This type of procedure normally results in a more prolonged postoperative course.