What is Cervical Post Laminectomy Syndrome?

A laminectomy is a surgical procedure intended to alleviate pain by removing part of a vertebra and resulting in reduced pressure on the spinal cord’s nerves.

Usually, patients recover from this surgery free of complications and hopefully, free of pain. However, out of the approximate 500,000 laminectomy surgeries performed in the US each year, around 20% of the patients report persisting back pain despite adequate healing. This resulting condition is called Post Laminectomy Syndrome (Failed Back Surgery Syndrome). Review the information below to learn more about the treatment options for this condition.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Treatment options may include:

Epidural steroid injection
Facet joint injections
Fluoroscopically guided injections
Interventional procedures
IT pump
Medial branch blocks
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)
Physical exercise
Prolotherapy
Radiofrequency facet ablation.
Radiofrequency neurotomy
Rehabilitation
Selective nerve root block
Selected nerve root injections (SNRI)
Spinal cord stimulation
Strength training
Stretching

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms include:

Neck pain after surgery
Lower back pain after surgery
Sharp or shooting pain in the extremities

DIAGNOSIS / TESTS

Diagnostic tests include:

Bone scans
CT scan
Diagnostic spinal injections
EMG
EOS® imaging
Reflex tests using small hammer
Thorough physical examination
X-rays MRI

TYPES

Common forms of Cervical Post Laminectomy Syndrome include:

Postsurgical complications including infection, nerve injury, or an adequate healing
Successful postsurgical recovery with new and unrelated spinal problem(s)
Unsuccessful postsurgical recovery with continuation of the original pain

Causes of Cervical Post Laminectomy Syndrome

Causes & contributing factors of Cervical Post Laminectomy Syndrome may include:

Anxiety
Arachnoid inflammation
Buildup of scar tissue
Depression
Diabetes
Epidural fibrosis (scarring)
Herniated discs
Infection in disc space or epidural space
Joint hypermobility
Muscle spasm
Nerve compression

Recurrent disc herniation
Peripheral vascular disease
Pain from metal introduced during spinal fusion
Pain from spinal structure changes
Progressive spinal degeneration
Sleep disorders
Spinal instability
Spinal joint arthritis
Structural spinal column changes
Surgical complications

FACTS

Post Laminectomy Syndrome is much more common among patients who are smokers. If patients stop smoking immediately after surgery, there is a much better chance for a pain-free, postsurgical outcome.

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The Pain Experts of Arizona was founded to bring the highest level of care in a state-of-the-art setting that emphasizes the belief of treating our patients with the same respect, compassion, and dedication we would treat our own friends and family.

Contact our office to schedule an appointment and let us help you get back on your way to an active life without the limitations of chronic pain. From our Phoenix office, The Pain Experts of Arizona, serves pain management patients in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek, and the entire Phoenix area.

Cervical Post Laminectomy Syndrome (PLS) in Gilbert, AZ