Canal stenosis surgery can create more space for your spinal cord and nerve roots, which may have become crowded due to the presence of excess tissue in your spinal canal, such as a bone spur or herniated disc. The goal of spinal decompression surgery is to reduce pain and other symptoms caused by spinal nerve compression, and it can be very effective in certain situations.

As with any type of surgical procedure, however, there are some risks associated with canal stenosis surgery. Therefore, before you make a final decision to proceed, you should talk with your physician, explore your nonsurgical alternatives and learn about the risks and benefits of the recommended procedure. Like most people, you’d probably prefer to avoid having surgery if you don’t truly need it. With some careful due diligence, you can help to ensure that you will find the most conservative approach that will be effective for you.

Possible complications of canal stenosis surgery

In general, some of the risks associated with canal stenosis surgery include:

• Insufficient symptom improvement
• Infection or pain at the surgical site
• Poor healing
• Instrumentation breakage or failure
• Spinal nerve damage

Recovering from canal stenosis surgery

After any surgical procedure, including canal stenosis surgery, you can’t realistically expect to feel better instantly. You’ll need to give your body time to heal and avoid doing anything that could compromise your results in the meantime. Your surgeon will provide detailed instructions on how you should carefully sit, stand and walk after your procedure, and when you can safely resume other activities.

Minimally invasive canal stenosis surgery

The surgeons at USA Spine Care perform minimally invasive canal stenosis surgery, which is often clinically appropriate and provides many advantages versus open neck or back surgery, including lower risks and a faster recovery.^ While the specific surgical techniques used for each procedure can vary, all involve small incisions and muscle-sparing techniques.

If you’d like to learn more, contact USA Spine Care and ask for a free MRI review.* We can discuss your options and help you determine if you are a candidate for our minimally invasive surgery.

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