Endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy is also a minimally invasive surgery for such conditions as lumbar spine degeneration, spinal stenosis, foraminal narrowing, radiculitis, radiculopathy, spondylolisthesis, recurring disc herniation, spinal instability or for prior failed surgery.
Symptoms that may indicate the need for this type of treatment include radiation of pain into extremities as well as severe back pain with radiculopathy. When conventional treatment methods fail to work after three months, such as prescription pain medication, rest, physical therapy or chiropractic adjustment, it may be time for more comprehensive testing to determine an exact treatment protocol.
If surgery is indicated, it will be performed using intravenous sedation under local anesthesia. A small tube is inserted in the affect lumbar spinal nerve area, into the neuroforamen. Using a micro camera inserted through the opening, the condition is determined, such as protruded discs, lumbar facet, overgrowth ligament, scars or bone spurs. Using a laser, mechanical tools or radiofrequency, the condition is handled by removing the affected area. By releasing the spinal nerves from the surrounding structures and enlarging the nerve hole, pain from decompression can occur.
Most of these types of surgeries are performed on an out-patient basis and the patient can be discharged the same day. Recovery is fairly quick, with return to normal activities within days. Most of these surgeries provide the needed relief with few complications afterward.
What is the recovery and prognosis?
Some patients will feel immediate relief once the irritating material has been removed. This procedure has a quick recovery time. Patients are up and back to normal activities in no time.
Images taken during Endoscopic Foraminotomy spine surgery in our clinic (images are copyrighted):
Aug 24, 2011Good day. This is wonderful site. Learnt a lot today! Good luck and fingers crossed for your patients.
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6:39 pm
I’m a 36-year-old male, and two years ago, I had a disk rupture in my back while getting ready for work. It was the disk between the L-4 and L-5 region. Sixty percent of the disk ruptured into my spinal column and did nerve damage. I had surgery to remove the bulge but still have severe pain and numbness in my foot and leg, including shooting electrical pains in various parts of my body and swelling in my left foot. I also have nerve damage on my left side. I’m taking narcotics (vicodin,hydrocodone,lortab) to help control the pain and muscle relaxers to help with the spasms in my back and legs. If it had not been for the loss of feeling in my leg, 100% the day before the surgery, I would have opted to not have it and let my body heal itself. I would not recommend surgery for anyone who does not absolutely has to have it. I hurt as bad today as I did before and there is nothing else I can do about it. And my surgery was done by a neurosurgeon. My condition is so severe that it has kept me from working or having a normal life. Where do you turn when you’re told by different doctors that, “You’re as good as your going to get?” I have no answers, but to those of you who are hurting and have lost your ability to live a normal life, you’re not alone. Good luck to everyone, and just maybe they will come up with a way to stop the pain.