What is a laminoplasty, and how will the surgery benefit me?

Doctor's Answers 2

Photo of Dr Shee Yan Fong
Dr Shee Yan Fong

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Laminoplasty is a specific surgical procedure performed on the back of the neck to "open up" the spinal channel which contains the spinal cord on its way down to the rest of the body from the brain.

It is performed on patients whose spinal cord in the neck are being compressed (known as cervical myelopathy) for various reasons either acutely or over many years.

As the spinal cord got progressively compressed or "strangulated" within its channel like a "collapsing tunnel" it will be a matter of time before irreversible nerve damage occurs, resulting inevitably to (in sequential order of progression):

  1. numbness
  2. weakness
  3. loss of limb/bladder/bowel functions
  4. paralysis
  5. respiratory failure
  6. and eventually death

Laminoplasty (although unable to cure the abovementioned nerve damage in the short term) by opening the "collapsed tunnel", helps to stop this cascade of nerve damage by freeing the "trapped" spinal cord, preserving limb and life in the long term.

Laminoplasty is a surgical procedure for the spine where the surgeon removes the bone located at the back of the spinal canal. The surgeon then proceeds to free the nerves, remove tumours, etc but after the decompression is achieved, the surgeon will replace the bone and screw it back in place to create a larger opening in the spinal canal.

This is a common procedure for those with multiple level cervical spine compression where anterior surgery (from the front of the neck) would be excessive. It allows for good decompression for a larger area of the spinal canal.

James Tan

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