Can Stenosis of the spine be cured?

Not without surgery.

Spinal stenosis can be cured by laminectomy surgery. In Jon’s case, he has severe narrowing evident on MRI that is causing pain in the legs with walking. Jon was therefore referred for laminectomy surgery; however, he must deal with the normal pressure hydrocephalus in his brain first. If you are medically fit to undergo general anesthesia, have pain down the legs while walking, and MRI shows moderate to severe narrowing of the spinal canal, then you are a suitable candidate for laminectomy surgery.

Beware! The internet is full of claims for exercises, stretches, and things you can take to avoid surgery with spinal stenosis. The only thing that can make all small hole bigger is surgery. The rest of these claims are nonsense.

The roof of the spinal canal is a bone called the lamina. In medicine removing something is an –ectomy. For example, if they take out your tonsils you would call that tonsillectomy. Similarly, raising the roof of the spinal canal is an operation called laminectomy, which means “removing the lamina”. At the Phoenix Spine & Joint Surgery Center our surgeons perform laminectomy on patients with spinal stenosis using a “minimally invasive” approach. They make a 1/2inch incision in the skin, and under xray guidance, insert probes which gently dilate the muscles away from the lamina bone. Looking down the microscope, through a retractor, they then drill off the lamina bone, and then remove the ligament. When necessary, we can remove herniated disc material at the same time. The operation usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes. It is done on an outpatient basis.

Most people are recovered from laminectomy surgery in 3 days, and fully recovered in a week. There are restrictions after surgery. You should try not to bend, lift, or twist with more than 5 pounds for the first 3 weeks. Most patients can lift 20 pounds after 3 weeks, and 40 pounds after 6 weeks (about 1 and a half months). After 12 weeks (about 3 months) there are no restrictions. We have an extensive home exercise program we advocate for all patients. If you are unable to start out in our program, physical therapy may be needed as a bridge. Most of our patients are back to light work after a week, moderate duty after 3 weeks, and heavy work after 12 weeks (about 3 months).

Laminectomy surgery is…
Found to be worth the risk by studies tracking outcomes
Liked by over 94% of patients when done using the right minimally invasive approach
Recommended by doctors in practice for their patients
Paid for by Private health insurance companies and Medicare as standard of care