Degenerative narrowing of the canal compresses the spinal cord or the nerve roots and, in the lower back, causes the typical walking claudication.
Frequently asked questionsSelective direct decompression that frees the nerves while respecting laminae, joints and ligaments.
The canal and lateral recesses are recalibrated by removing only the compressing tissue — thickened ligamentum flavum, part of the enlarged joint — and the necessary foramina are widened, keeping the elements that provide stability.
In many cases it avoids a wide laminectomy and, with it, the need for fusion.
Only the compressing tissue: the thickened ligamentum flavum and the part of the enlarged joint blocking the nerve's path, plus widening whichever foramina need it. The laminae, the joints and the ligaments that provide stability are preserved.
That is precisely why the work is done this way. By preserving the stabilising elements instead of removing the posterior arch, in many cases a wide laminectomy is avoided and, with it, the need to fuse. Whether that is possible depends on where and how much has to be released.
It is the typical picture of lumbar stenosis: after walking for a while, the legs force you to stop. It is not a circulation problem nor a matter of being out of practice, it is the sign that the canal has become too narrow for the nerves running through it.
No. A laminectomy removes the whole posterior arch; recalibration removes only what compresses and leaves the structure standing. Laminectomy is still necessary when compression is so extensive that no more conservative technique will do.
The information on this page is for guidance only and does not replace a personalised medical assessment. Whether any technique is indicated depends on each patient's examination and scans.
I review your scans and tell you frankly which option makes sense, including not operating.