Spine Stenosis

Spinal Stenosis Laser Surgery

Back pain - neck pain - sciatica - what a pain! Unfortunately, our bodies age and as we age, a condition arises that is known as spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the canal in which the spinal cord lies. Today there is a technique to improve the lives of those experiencing pain from spinal stenosis - it is known as spinal stenosis laser surgery.

It is a statistical reality that more than 75% of Americans alive today will, at some point in their lives, experience back problems. Most of these cases will arise later in life, as the spinal vertebrae degenerate due to arthritic changes or injuries. In some cases the changes are due to years of hard physical labor, but the greater percentage is just due to aging.

In the past, a patient had very little choice when it came to surgical techniques; the patient could choose conventional surgery, which requires an open incision, stitches, and greater length of recovery time. Also, in conventional surgery the patient is at greater risk for infection or other complications. Laser surgery, on the other hand, is less invasive, and there is a smaller risk of infection or complications.

One thing about modern medicine is true: it is changing almost every day, and surgery is changing right along with general medicine. Endoscopic surgery has virtually replaced the need for large, open incisions in many different surgical techniques, and is used in conjunction with lasers in spinal stenosis laser surgery.

Endoscopy requires a smaller incision - often just a few millimeters - and leaves a much smaller incision than traditional surgery; in fact, most endoscopic incisions look more like the patient was stuck with a sharp pencil, as the incision more closely resembles a hole.

Often the patient can be awake for endoscopic laser surgery, with just local anesthetic (a nerve block) and the use of a short acting sedative or tranquilizer and an intravenous saline drip. This means that recovery time is less as the patient experiences less trauma to their body.

It is also worthy of note that endoscopic surgery, because it is less invasive, means less blood loss (or no blood loss at all!) and the patient is, in most cases, able to walk the same day of surgery, or by the next day at the least.

Replacement of spinal vertebrae is impossible, of course; but spinal stenosis laser surgery can be quite effective in alleviating pain caused by degenerative changes such as osteoarthritis.

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