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Decompression of the lumbar spine

The enlargement of the spinal canal in the lumbar spine is a common operation. It affects mainly older people in advanced stages of spinal degeneration. Classic symptom is the so-called spinal claudication. These people will have to rest after short distances. They often bend forward briefly, which relieves the spinal canal. In late stages pain at rest also occurs. Causes of spinal canal stenosis are intervertebral disc bulges and osteoarthritis in the facet joints as well as thickening of the yellow tape. The nerve is pressed due to the narrowing. These can then react irritably (patients report discomfort), or partially fail. Besides pain and discomfort, paralysis and numbness can also occur. The symptoms can be so severe that patients must use crutches or a wheelchair. The microsurgical enlargement of the spinal canal is a very effective and promising method, and brings an immediate improvement in most cases. Thereby all the structures which press on nerves, are eliminated under the microscope. If there are additional instabilities then, in addition to a widening of the spinal canal, an additional stabilizing must be undertaken. This can be at a variable degree. Initially dynamic methods are used (e.g. interspinous splashes or dynamic fixators). In advanced stages, such as for spondylolisthesis, it must be further ankylosed.

 

Gallery enlargement of the spinal canal at the lumbar spine:

 

 

stabilizing measures

But if the symptoms have already been there for too long and the nerve has been damaged irreversibly, then this measure helps neither. Surgery is not the method of first choice, i.e. it is not performed at the beginning of the complaints, but should also not just be remembered when the disturbances are already very advanced. Since then there are higher risks and the chances of an improvement in the symptoms of gait disturbances  particularly, worsen.