Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery

The technique still widely used in spinal stenosis surgery is the lumbar laminectomy, based on the principle of widening the spinal canal by removing the bones we call laminae, located behind the vertebrae. However, since a large amount of bone is removed in these operations, spondylolisthesis surgery is usually also needed in the same session to prevent vertebral slippage. For detailed visual information about minimally invasive lumbar spinal stenosis surgery, you can watch our three-dimensional animation video.

With the minimally invasive lumbar spinal stenosis surgery (micro lumbar laminectomy) that has begun to be performed in recent years, this need has decreased considerably. Micro lumbar laminectomy is a much less damaging (traumatic) technique for the patient compared with the widely used lumbar laminectomy method. In this method, a smaller skin incision is made than in the classic method, less muscle is cut, only one side of the lamina is removed, and the spinal canal is widened by shaving down only the front (ventral) surface of the lamina on the other side. In this way, very little damage is done to the patient’s anatomical structure, the patient’s recovery process after the operation is much shorter, and the risks threatening spinal health in their later life are reduced. Minimally invasive lumbar spinal stenosis surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, and the hospital stay is two days.