Laminectomy in Kansas City
Laminectomy
Effective Neck & Back Treatments Custom to You.
Understanding the Basics Behind Laminectomy Surgery
Spinal Pain Management
to Reclaim Your Life.
A laminectomy surgery in Kansas City can help patients achieve long-term management of the pain and motor control losses associated with stenosis.
Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column or of the small holes where nerve roots exit the spinal column, called foramina. Narrowing of these tubes/holes can occur as a result of injury, but in most cases, it’s a result of the natural aging process. During a laminectomy, we create more space for the spinal cord or nerve roots by removing small sections of bone through a small incision in your back.
A visit to Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance means one-on-one care with some of the top orthopedic practitioners in the country. With multiple locations across the Kansas City metro area, we make finding comprehensive care for back conditions easier than ever.
Before assuming you have any kind of spinal condition, be sure to schedule an appointment with a Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physician.
We can provide professional insight and a proper diagnosis to understand your treatment options.
Spinal cord and nerve root pressure may cause:
- Pain in the arms and legs
- Pain when bending forward
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Trouble walking
- Bowel and bladder function issues
Your First Appointment
During your initial visit, we will ask you to fill out paperwork detailing your symptoms. You should also bring any X-rays or diagnostic tests you’ve had performed prior to coming to Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance for treatment. Last, we’ll require proof of insurance or form of payment for the provision of the services rendered.
Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance Assessment
Assessing the Condition
Understanding your options for laminectomy surgery in Kansas City starts with an assessment. You can think of spinal compression as a spectrum, with some instances being more severe than others.
The Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance orthopedic specialists always focus on each individual patient and their concerns before creating a treatment plan.
Therefore, during your initial appointment, we will often ask questions such as:
- Does your pain currently limit you or your activities?
- Has your pain progressed or worsened recently?
- Have you noticed any change in your symptoms that has made it more challenging to function?
- What are your lifestyle goals?
- How has pain affected those goals?
From there, we can decide whether more conservative treatments will suffice or whether you would find the most benefit with surgery.
The Exam
Examination
After a proper assessment, we often begin with a physical examination to help determine the origin point of your symptoms. In some cases, we may require advanced testing for a full diagnosis.
Testing options may include:
X-ray
Also called radiographs, an X-ray captures a picture of the bone. Orthopedic physicians may order an X-ray to rule out the possibility of a fracture (broken bone), osteoarthritis, or other bone-related conditions. For X-rays, our radiology technicians will take the views your physician ordered as part of your office exam.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI captures images of muscles, bones, and tendons to help provide information other tests can’t detail. During an MRI, you will lie on a table that slides into a tube-shaped scanner. The machine creates a magnetic field around you, using pulsed radio waves to form the MRI images. If you require an MRI, Kansas City Orthopedic Institute, one of our orthopedic specialty hospitals, also offers extended hours for scheduling your diagnostic test.
Electromyograms (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies
Our board-certified physicians utilize electromyograms (EMGs) and nerve conduction studies to help determine whether nerves and muscles respond properly to stimuli. The EMG measures the electrical activity of your muscles at rest and in motion. Nerve conduction studies determine how fast and effectively your nerves and muscles receive electrical signals. We will schedule patients needing an EMG or a nerve conduction study for a separate appointment.
Establishing Care
Establishing a Care Plan
Based on the results of your interview, examination, and imaging studies, you can expect a custom care plan catered specifically to you. From there, we outline what you can expect with your laminectomy surgery and how to prepare for your procedure.
The decision to perform a laminectomy rests on several factors. Most importantly, you must have the appropriate indication for spinal surgery. Prior to even considering that spinal surgery, you need to have exhausted all non-operative treatments.
Ongoing Treatment & Continued Care
Physical Therapy
Many patients benefit from a short course of physical therapy following a laminectomy. Your therapist will focus on flexibility, core strength, and functional movements to aid in a full recovery. Pain is usually minimal at this point and patients will learn ways to control any symptoms without the use of medications from their therapist.
Bone Care
Although a laminectomy can ease your current neck or back pain, it may not always prevent future spine conditions. Taking care of your bones and joints is something you should implement in your daily life.
Lifestyle changes
We recommend regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and monitoring your blood sugar levels if you’re diabetic. In doing so, you may reduce the amount of stress on your joints to slow down any potential degenerative process.
Causes
Causes for Laminectomy
Since a laminectomy is a surgical procedure, our Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physicians usually exhaust all conservative measures before recommending surgery.
Stenosis:
A laminectomy treats conditions associated with narrowing (stenosis) of the spinal canal or of the foramina where nerve roots exit the spinal canal to supply sensation and motor control to other parts of the body. This narrowing is typically caused by bony overgrowth in the spine that happens as a part of the natural aging process.
Pressure:
When there is narrowing of the spinal canal or foramina, it creates pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, which often results in pain or some changes in motor control, like balance problems.
Conditions:
Certain Spine Injuries Herniated Disks Conditions that may lead to a laminectomy include: Certain Spine Injuries, Herniated Disks, Spinal Stenosis
Non-Surgical Treatments
You should always see your Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance doctor to discuss your non-surgical options rather than assuming you need a laminectomy. Before considering an invasive procedure, you will need to have exhausted conservative options, including physical therapy, braces, pain-relieving drugs, and interventional physiatry techniques, such as epidural steroid injections.
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance
Meet Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance
Our board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians and surgeons are highly experienced in their respective fields and are considered among the top orthopedic providers in the Midwest.
Along with our Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and support staff, Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physicians deliver the utmost level of dedicated care across a range of subspecialties.
Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance is here to help.
Our care is personal. Our team is knowledgeable. And we’re more available than ever.
With access to board-certified specialists across Kansas City, we have the tools to meet almost every musculoskeletal condition.
Our Locations
Overland Park, Kansas
10777 Nall Ave Suite 300 Overland Park, KS 66211Leawood, Kansas
3651 College Blvd. Leawood, KS 66211Kansas City, Missouri
Saint Luke's Medical Plaza #1 4320 Wornall Rd., Ste. 610 Kansas City, MO 64111Belton, Missouri
Belton Regional Campus 17067 S Outer Rd #301 Belton, MO 64012Merriam, Kansas
7450 W. Frontage Rd Merriam, KS 66203Blue Springs, Missouri
St. Mary’s Medical Center, Main Entrance 203 NW R.D. Mize Road, Suite 250 Blue Springs, MO 64014Shawnee Mission, Kansas
7450 Kessler St ste. 140 Merriam, KS 66204Prairie Star (Lenexa, Kansas)
Prairie Star 23401 Prairie Star PkwyBldg. B, Ste. 220 Lenexa, KS 66227