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Complications of Lumbar Laminectomy

A lumbar laminectomy is a surgical procedure performed on the lumbar area of the spine (the lower back) to alleviate pressure on the nerves of the spine, which in turn should alleviate pain and other symptoms. This is a condition called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when pressure is put on the spinal nerves due to narrowing of the spinal canal. During a lumbar laminectomy, the surgeon locates the back of the spinal canal and removes a part of its bony covering to relieve pressure on the affected spinal nerves. Since a lumbar laminectomy is a surgical procedure involving the spine, there is a risk of serious complications.

  1. Anesthesia Problems

    • Anesthesia can cause complications. Though this lumbar laminectomy complication is not common it can be serious. If a patient has an allergic reaction to anesthesia he can experience respiratory distress, which can lead to death. An allergic reaction may also cause anaphylaxis, or a closing of the throat due to allergies. When the throat closes it can cause the patient to not be able to breathe, which can also result in death if not immediately treated.

    Blood Clots

    • Patients who have had a lumbar laminectomy will have trouble getting around for a while and this may cause them to stay in bed. Not moving around can cause blood clots that can be a serious complication. If a patient experiences a blood clot it will develop in her lower legs. In some cases this clot may release and make its way to the lungs. If a blood clot lodges in the lungs it can cause serious problems, such as lowering the amount of oxygen in the blood, permanent lung damage due to the lung tissue not receiving an adequate supply of blood and sometimes death. Blood clots may also cause damage to other organs due to insufficient oxygen.

    Infection

    • All patients who have a lumbar laminectomy will have incisions made into their lower back. These incisions can become infected but often are easily treated with antibiotics and rest. However, if left untreated the infection may travel to deeper tissues, causing permanent damage and in some cases death.

    Nerve Damage

    • Nerve damage can occur if one or more nerves are damaged during surgery. If a nerve or nerves become damaged the patient may experience pain, tingling or numbness. If these symptoms are especially bothersome, persistent or severe the patient may need to have another surgery to repair the nerves, if repair is possible.

    Ongoing Pain

    • The main purpose of a lumbar laminectomy is to alleviate pressure on the spinal nerves to help reduce or eliminate the patient's pain. However, not all patients will experience a reduction in their pain. Some patients may even experience an increase in their pain. If this occurs the patient may need to have the surgery repeated or his doctor may suggest another type of spinal surgery.

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