Lumbar Spine
Lumbar Laminectomy
Decompression of the lumbar spinal canal to relieve stenosis-related leg pain, heaviness, and walking limitation.
What it is
A lumbar laminectomy removes the lamina — the back wall of the spinal canal — at one or more lumbar levels, creating room for the nerves that have been crowded by age-related stenosis. We also trim bone spurs, thickened ligaments, and overgrown facet joints as needed.
The disc is generally left alone. The goal is to give the nerves the space they have lost, without disturbing the structural elements that do not need to be disturbed.
Why this procedure when surgery is needed
When lumbar spinal stenosis has stopped responding to physical therapy, injections, and patience — and your walking tolerance is genuinely limiting your life — laminectomy is the workhorse decompression operation. It addresses the cause directly: not enough room for the nerves.
For stable stenosis without slippage or instability, decompression alone is enough and avoids the recovery and trade-offs of a fusion. We don't fuse what doesn't need fusing.
What to expect
Surgery typically takes 60–90 minutes per level.
Most patients go home the same day or stay one night.
Walking the day of surgery is encouraged and expected.
Return to desk work in 2–3 weeks; driving when off narcotics.
Heavy lifting and bending restricted for 4–6 weeks.
Most patients notice immediate relief of leg symptoms; back pain — if present pre-op — improves more variably.
Approach
- Posterior midline approach, single small incision
- Operating microscope for nerve visualization
- Bone removed only where stenosis is actually present
- Facet joints preserved when feasible to avoid creating instability
- Multimodal pain control to minimize opioid use after surgery
Typical indications
- Lumbar spinal stenosis with significant leg symptoms
- Walking tolerance limited by neurogenic claudication
- Failed appropriate conservative care
- Progressive motor weakness in a stenotic distribution
Alternatives we considered
- Continued conservative care for mild or stable symptoms
- Epidural steroid injection for acute flares
- Lumbar fusion (TLIF/PLIF) if instability or slip is also present
- Interspinous spacer in select older patients (limited durability)
Videos for this procedure
- Preparing for Your Spine Surgery (Ages 50–65)(in production · 9 min)
Last reviewed: 2026-05-10· Author: Chad Tuchek, MD · Cotton O'Neil Neurosurgery and Spine Center, Stormont Vail Health
The information on this page is general patient education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. For urgent symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For non-urgent questions, call (785) 368-0767.