Common Spine Surgery

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  1. Foraminotomy: Bone and/or other fibrous tissue is removed in and around the foramen to decompress the affected nerve root
  2. Laminectomy: The vertebral lamina is removed to decompress the central canal or to relieve pressure secondary to spondylosis and spondylolisthesis
  3. Discectomy: A portion of the herniated disc is removed to decompress nervous tissue; involves a laminectomy to access disc contents
  4. Fusion: Use of hardware, bone grafts, screws and metal cages to eliminate segmental motion due to instability and/or pain
  5. Disc replacement: replacement of IVD with prosthesis
  6. Vertebroplasty: bone is injected with cement-like compound to increase strength of bone tissue following compression fracture

Post-operative Complications

  • thrombophlebitis
  • pulmonary infection
  • hardware failure
  • persistent pain
  • sexual dysfunction
  • spinal cord injury
  • pseudoarthosis