Lumbar laminectomy, also called lumbar decompression surgery, involves removing large arthritic bone spurs that are compressing nerves. Specifically, the lamina is removed to expose the spinal cord. Thickened ligaments and bone spurs are then removed. If bone is overlapping the affected nerve, the surgeons at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush Minimally Invasive Spine Institute may also perform a foraminotomy to remove the bone. These procedures are typically performed as outpatient surgery by physicians at MOR MISI. In some instances, laminectomy may make the bones less stable, sometimes requiring fusion.
