Spinal discs play a crucial role in the lower back, serving as shock absorbers between the vertebrae, supporting the upper body, and allowing a wide range of movement in all directions.

If a disc herniates and leaks some of its inner material, though, the disc can quickly go from easing daily life to aggravating a nerve, triggering back pain and possibly pain and nerve symptoms down the leg.

Many terms may be used to describe issues with a spinal disc and disc pain, and all may be used differently and, at times, interchangeably.

Some commonly used terms include:

• Herniated disc
• Pinched nerve
• Ruptured/torn disc
• Bulging disc
• Disc protrusion
• Slipped disc

A herniated disc and degenerative disc disease typically occur in :

• Cervical spine (neck)
• Lumbar spine (lower back)- Most common and often combined with Sciatica.
• Thoracic spine (mid-back)- Very rare

A minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy involves removing a portion of the lamina; a thin piece of bone located at the back of each vertebral body that covers and protects the spinal canal. A micro-laminectomy may include removing bony overgrowths (ie, osteophytes) and ligament tissue compressing spinal nerves at one or more levels of the spine.

A minimally invasive low back laminectomy is more targeted and removes only the portion of the lamina causing compression. Therefore, the majority of the lamina can be spared.

Conditions Treated Using Minimally Invasive Lumbar Laminectomy

Your surgeon may recommend a minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy if you have been diagnosed with spinal conditions that cause both low back and leg pain:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Lumbar herniated disc
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Lumbar synovial cyst