What it is
The lamina is a thin piece of bone at the back of each spine bone. It forms the "roof" over the spinal canal where the nerves travel. In a laminectomy, the surgeon removes part or all of the lamina at one or more levels, along with any thickened ligament or bone spurs that are crowding the nerves.
How it relieves pressure on nerves
By removing the bone and tissue that is pressing on the nerves, the spinal canal is opened up. The nerves have more room and the irritation goes down. This is why patients with lumbar spinal stenosis often feel leg pain relief soon after surgery.
A laminectomy treats nerve pressure. It does not change worn-out discs or arthritis, so some back pain may continue.
Typical recovery
- Most patients go home the same day or the next day
- Walking is encouraged within hours of surgery
- Pain at the incision usually settles within 1 to 2 weeks
- Driving is often allowed within 1 to 2 weeks if off narcotic pain medicine
- Most patients return to desk work in 2 to 4 weeks and to active work in 6 to 12 weeks
- Bending, lifting heavy objects, and twisting are limited for several weeks
See the recovery guide for a full week-by-week timeline.