Risks of the Lumbar Laminectomy Baltimore MD

The lumbar laminectomy Baltimore MD is a surgery that is intended to relieve pain in the lower back, legs and feet by freeing nerves that are being pinched by the small bones in the spine, called vertebrae.  On the back of each of these small bones is a flat surface.  This is the lamina.  The laminectomy removes the lamina from one or more vertebrae in the lower back.  Usually, the lumbar laminectomy procedure Baltimore is considered to be elective.

 This means that it is an option chosen by the patient because pain medications, physical therapy, and other less radical interventions have failed to adequately relieve their distress.  While this is a relatively safe procedure, it is important to consider risks when choosing any elective surgery.

Lumbar Laminectomy Procedure Risks Baltimore MD

Orthopedic surgeries such as this one have become very safe over the last fifty years. The mortality rate for all of them combined much less than 1% of all US patients in any given year.  However, there are some more minor risks with this operation that are worth understanding.

• Any operation in which the patient is fully sedated carries a risk from the anesthesia drugs.  It is impossible to predict who may react badly to general anesthesia.  Bad outcomes sometimes occur even with those who have been successfully anesthetized in the past.  Those with heart problems and similar pre-existing health issues are at a greater risk.
• Excessive bleeding is a possible complication of any open surgical procedure.  It is important for the surgical team to be aware of all medications the patient takes so that adjustments can be made to any that cause thinning of the blood.
• While the purpose of the lumbar laminectomy Baltimore MD procedure is to free compressed nerve structures, there is always a chance of permanent nerve damage anytime the surgeon is working close to the spinal cord.  The physical effects of this damage might include increased pain in the back and legs, or numbness that interferes with function.
• The biggest risk of any back surgery is clinical failure.  This simply means that after fully recovering, the patient has not achieved relief from their pain.