Why might I need a cervical laminectomy?
Cervical spine surgery may be needed for a variety of problems. Most commonly, this type of surgery is performed for degenerative disorders. A cervical laminectomy is usually performed for one or more of the following reasons: • To treat pressure on the spinal cord (caused by cervical canal stenosis/spondylosis or an intervertebral disc prolapse). • To treat pressure on multiple spinal nerves in the neck (caused by foraminal stenosis, cervical spondylosis, or an intervertebral disc prolapse) • To treat instability of the cervical spine (this may occur due to degenerative changes, arthritis, or trauma). In this situation, a fusion using lateral mass screws is performed to stabilise the spine as well as taking pressure of the spinal cord. Surgery is usually recommended when all reasonable conservative measures (pain medications, nerve sheath injections, physical therapies etc.) have failed. In cases of significant instability or neurological problems, surgery may be the most appropriate
