Foraminal stenosis develops when the foramina in the spine begin to narrow, possibly putting pressure on the nerve root passing through it. When this occurs, debilitating symptoms can develop, such as back pain, numbness, tingling and weakness. If you are suffering from this condition, it is often recommended to attempt conservative therapy prior to surgical intervention.

Your doctor may recommend pain medication, epidural steroid injections, physical therapy and chiropractic care to ease your pain and discomfort. However, if you do not experience relief after several weeks or months, surgery may become necessary. If this is the case for you, it is important to become informed about your options for foraminal stenosis surgery through the following article.

Minimally invasive foraminal stenosis surgery vs. traditional foraminal stenosis surgery

As you research the options available to you, consider the following facts prior to making your decision:

1. USA Spine Care’s procedures have a shorter recovery period as well as lower rates of infection and complication compared to traditional open spine surgery.^ At USA Spine Care, our procedures have no lengthy recovery, with 81 percent of our patients reporting that they returned to work within three months after surgery.^ Our procedures carry low risks, with a 0.55 percent infection rate and a 2.26 percent complication rate.^ Traditional open spine surgery, however, has a recovery period of six months to a year. Also, the infection rate for this invasive procedure is up to 16 percent and the complication rate is 16.4 percent.
2. We offer a less invasive procedure compared to traditional open spine surgery.^ Traditional open spine surgery performs three possible procedures to relieve foraminal stenosis — a foraminotomy, laminectomy and open spinal fusion. These procedures are highly invasive, have high risks and require a two- to five-day hospital stay. USA Spine Care, on the other hand, offers minimally invasive procedures, such as foraminotomy, laminotomy, discectomy and fusion, that are performed on an outpatient basis at our state-of-the-art surgery centers.
3. Our minimally invasive foraminal stenosis surgery is muscle sparing and uses a smaller incision. At USA Spine Care, our board-certified surgeons+ use a less than 1-inch incision, that does not unnecessarily disrupt the muscles or ligaments surrounding the spine, to relieve foraminal stenosis. However, traditional open spine surgery uses a 6- to 8-inch incision that cuts or tears the muscles to relieve the pressure on the nerves caused by foraminal stenosis. Therefore, our procedures offer a safer and effective alternative to traditional procedures.^

Learn more about USA Spine Care’s foraminal stenosis surgery

If you decide to go the minimally invasive route for your foraminal stenosis surgery, then contact the dedicated team at USA Spine Care to learn more about our decompression procedures. Since 2005, our minimally invasive spine surgery has helped thousands of patients find lasting relief from their chronic neck or back pain.

To find out if you are a potential candidate for our foraminal stenosis surgery, reach out to us today and ask for a free MRI review.* We are here to help you recapture your quality of life from your chronic condition.

Browse Related Resources