Laminectomy treats pressures on the spinal cord or nerves. It creates space by removing the lamina, the back part of the vertebra that covers the spinal canal. Also known as decompression surgery, laminectomy enlarges the spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves.
The surgeon makes incisions in the back over the vertebra, and moves the muscles away from the vertebra. Once the muscles are separated from the lamina, it is carefully removed from the rest of the vertebra, and the procedure is complete.
