| Scar tissue forming near the nerve root is | | | | several feet in length toward its |
| called epidural fibrosis. This epidural | | | | destination. A nerve cell that lives in the |
| fibrosis is a common occurrence after back | | | | brain or within the spinal cord is called a |
| surgery has been preformed. The formation of | | | | central nerve, and a nerve that leaves the |
| scar tissue is part of a normal healing | | | | spine to go into the arms or legs are called |
| process the body goes through after spine | | | | peripheral nerves. These peripheral nerves |
| surgery. Unfortunately the build-up of this | | | | are actually bundles of millions of nerve |
| scar tissue can cause nerve impingements | | | | fibers that leave the spinal cord and branch |
| causing back pain and/or leg pain. There are | | | | to their target muscles to make them move or |
| successful procedures performed by surgeons | | | | go to the skin to provide feeling. |
| called a Laminotomy. | | | | |
| | | | If a nerve gets "pinched" the flow up and |
| A nerve that is under pressure and causing | | | | down the inside of the hose is reduced or |
| pain or impaired function is referred to as a | | | | blocked and the nutrients stop flowing. |
| pinched nerve. This can happen to nerves that | | | | Eventually the membrane starts to lose its |
| control muscle movements or relay sensations | | | | healthy ability to transmit the tiny |
| to the brain. | | | | electrical charges and the nerve fiber may |
| | | | eventually die. When enough fibers stop |
| The initial symptoms will affect your | | | | working, the skin may feel numbness or a |
| buttocks and legs, arms, fingers, neck or | | | | muscle may not contract. |
| shoulders. These symptoms may be tingling, | | | | |
| numbness, a burning sensation or shooting | | | | Minimally invasive laser spine surgery uses |
| pains. | | | | an arthroscopic approach to a Laminotomy |
| | | | opening the spinal canal without any need for |
| The pains and sensations can sometimes be | | | | general anesthesia. A laminotomy is generally |
| felt quite a distance away from the point of | | | | performed in a surgical outpatient setting. A |
| pressure. Although you have a pinched nerve | | | | laminotomy is not a laminectomy. |
| the lumbar region of your back, it's possible | | | | |
| that the only painful symptom that this may | | | | Laminotomy: A laminotomy the surgical |
| be causing could be in your calf. Pain and | | | | procedure used to relieve the spinal canal |
| weakness may increase when there is nerve | | | | off pressure affecting the exiting nerve root |
| damage from constant pressure. Movement | | | | and spinal cord. The process increases the |
| skills, reflexes, sensations in the affect | | | | amount of space available for neural tissue |
| area may be affected and muscular atrophy may | | | | thus releasing the nerve(s). |
| begin to occur. | | | | |
| | | | The term laminotomy is derived from the Latin |
| Nerves are extensions from the brain that | | | | words lamina (bony plate that covers the |
| reach out into the arms or legs to go to the | | | | posterior arch of the vertebra) and -otomy |
| muscles or skin. A nerve is a cell that is | | | | (act of cutting, incision). |
| microscopic in size, and its fibers may run | | | | |