What is a Foraminal Stenosis?

How is a Foraminal Stenosis Diagnosed?

Accurate and thorough diagnosis is key to selecting the best treatment options. The following is part of a comprehensive diagnostic workup:

• Medical History Inventory of symptoms, previous treatments and medical care.
• Physical Examination A careful examination by a spine specialist for limitations of movement, problems with balance, and pain. The examination should also cover loss of reflexes in the patient’s extremities, muscle weakness, loss of sensation, or signs of spinal cord damage.
• Diagnostic Tests Generally, plain x-ray films are taken, which allow the physician to rule out other problems, such as infection. CT scans and MRIs are often used to give a three-dimensional view of the lumbar spine and can help detect herniated discs.

Non-Surgical Treatment

As with any spinal condition and depending on the severity of the symptoms, conservative care should always be suggested first before surgical intervention.

• Pain Medications Anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers and on rare occasions narcotic painkillers
• Alternating Heat/cold Therapy during the first 24-48 hours
• Physical Therapy exercises to includestretching, massage, strengthening educational patient resources
• Epidural steroid injections are used two-fold: first, to relieve inflammation of the affected spinal nerve, and secondly, to diagnostically confirm the affected level, from which the pain is originating.

Least Invasive Procedures for Foraminal Stenosis

When conservative care is exhausted, and a patient is still in pain, surgery is a logical step to relieve the pain. Traditionally, central and lateral recess stenosis surgery is performed in an open procedure with a large incision in the skin. A laminectomy and/or facetectomy are performed to release the pressure on the spinal cord. Unfortunately, this technique is invasive and leads to significant post-operative pain and lengthy recovery. With innovation and advances in technology, a less invasive endoscopic technique has been developed to address these painful conditions, such as foraminal stenosis.

• Endoscopic Foraminalplasty is a ultra-minimally invasive procedure designed to relieve nerve compression caused by narrowing of the spinal foramina. Using a small endoscope, surgeons remove bone or tissue pressing on the nerves, alleviating pain, numbness, and weakness in the limbs. This procedure aims to restore function, improve mobility, and provide long-term relief for conditions such as foraminal stenosis, herniated discs, and degenerative disc disease.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Options for Foraminal and Spinal Stenosis

• MIS Laminectomy Some or all of the lamina, or posterior part of the vertebra and spinal ligament are removed to free the nerves. Sometimes a spinal fusion is incorporated with a laminectomy due to spinal instability.
• Foraminotomy The foramen or openings on the sides of the vertebra, through which spinal nerves exit the spinal column, is removed to reduce pressure on the nerve. Sometimes a spinal fusion is incorporated due to spinal instability after decompressing of the foramen.
• MIS Microdiscectomy Is a surgery to remove herniated disc material that is compressing a nerve root or the spinal cord. This surgery is usually done as a microdiscectomy using a microscope or surgical loupes. Before the discectomy is done the surgeon removes a small piece of bone called the lamina from the targeted intervertebral body in order to access the herniated disc. This bone resection is referred to as a laminectomy or laminotomy. A microdiscectomy can be done as an open or with a tubular retractor.
• MIS TLIF Spinal Fusion Two or more vertebrae are immobilized with surgical rods and screws. Bone graft is placed in the space between the vertebrae to encourage growth of the bones together.

How to Protect Yourself Safe From COVID-19?

Mauris dapibus elit at odio dapibus, ut finibus odio porta. Aliquam aliquam tortor eu orci condimentum egestas stibu lum ante nulla. 

• Aliquam aliquam tortor eu orci condimentum egestas stibu.
• Duis mattis felis augue, finibus dapibus tellus dapibus at.
• Fusce risus augue, condimentum et odio vitae, lobortis auctor.
• Praesent euismod posuere nunc, in pharetra quam.
• Morbi facilisis turpis a sapienelementum, sit amet convallis.
• Integer gravida nisi tincidunt lobortis interdum donec consequ.
• Ut congue tristique augue in euismod quisque sit amet magna.