Does Spinal Stenosis Surgery Work

Spinal stenosis surgery refers to operations performed to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This type of surgery is used to treat conditions ranging from herniated and bulging discs to arthritis to bone spurs. In general, surgical treatment is quite effective; however, no procedure comes with a 100% guarantee. Surgery almost always relieves the symptoms of spinal stenosis, but there are some cases in which it fails.

Surgery

The goal of surgical spinal stenosis treatment is to move or remove tissue that is pressing against the nerves. This can be done in two ways:

• Using scalpels and other tools to manually remove the tissue during traditional open spine surgery
  
• Using a carefully calibrated laser to dissolve the tissue during laser spine surgery
  

Both of these approaches are effective, but laser spine surgery is preferable when applicable because it is less invasive. Since the wound is smaller and major interventions are more rare, the recovery time is shorter and the risk of side effects is lower.

Outcomes

A wide majority of patients find that their symptoms are permanently relieved after undergoing surgery. For laser spine surgery patients, symptoms usually go away as the surgery is being performed. In addition, the risk of serious side effects is low, especially if minimally invasive surgery is used.

Most people have great outcomes with their spinal stenosis surgery, especially if minimally invasive surgery is used. They experience a quick resolution to symptoms, and do not develop any side effects. On the other hand, there is always a chance, however small, that surgery will fail to resolve symptoms or will cause side effects. It's important for all patients undergoing surgery to understand the risks as well as the benefits.

To learn more about whether spinal stenosis surgery is right for you, please click below or call the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center at (646) 374-1799.