St. Louis Car Accident Injuries Attorney Discusses Laminectomy Surgery

Laminectomy surgery is primarily used to treat pain associated with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.

Missouri witnesses thousands of car accidents annually. While some accidents cause only minor injuries, others leave the victims seriously injured and in need of extensive treatment. In many cases, victims require surgery to recover from accident-related injuries. One common type of surgery that may be required after a spinal injury in a car accident is laminectomy. Before you decide to undergo laminectomy, our accident attorneys want you to be aware of the facts about this surgical procedure.

Why is Laminectomy Surgery Performed?

Laminectomy is primarily used to treat pain associated with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. It is a condition in which the spinal nerve roots in the lower back become choked or compressed. It may cause symptoms of sciatica including weakness, tingling or numbness radiating from the lower back into the buttocks and legs. The pain and other symptoms often worsen with activity. Laminectomy is also known as lumbar decompression back surgery.

Is Laminectomy 100% Effective in Relieving Symptoms?

Laminectomy offers effective treatment for certain types of spinal injuries. However, not all patients experience complete relief. In some cases, the patient may develop complications such as fluid accumulation and nerve inflammation. There have been some cases where patients required additional surgery to treat the complications.

How Long is the Recovery Period for Laminectomy?

Laminectomy surgery generally takes only a few hours to perform, however, the recovery is typically slow. The patient is normally sent home in three days, but it may take weeks or even months to recover completely from this surgery. The patient may not be able to drive until the doctor thinks it is safe to do so. In some cases, laminectomy may lead to complications, which may further prolong the recovery period.

Are There Any Risks Involved in Laminectomy Surgery?

Some risks associated with Laminectomy surgery include:

• infection
• bleeding
• spinal cord injury
• blood clots in the lungs or legs
• no pain relief/increased pain
• risks associated with the use of anesthesia
• blood vessel or nerve injury

Certain factors such as medical history may increase the patient’s risk for developing complications after a laminectomy. The patient should immediately see his/her doctor if they notice any of the following symptoms after laminectomy surgery:

• swelling, redness, bleeding or incision site drainage
• numbness in legs, buttocks or back
• fever
• increased pain around the incision site
• loss of bladder or bowel control
• difficulty urinating

How Much Does Laminectomy Cost?

Laminectomy surgery often cost between $50,000 and $90,000. The average individual will not be able to pay this out of pocket.