Reconstructive and stabilizing surgeries for spinal canal stenosis
According to world statistics, the most effective method of surgical treatment of spinal canal stenosis is considered to be a combination of microsurgical decompression and dynamic interspinous stabilization.
During decompression, those formations that compress the nerve root are removed:
- bone growths (osteophytes),
- yellow bundle,
- intervertebral (facet) joints, etc.
Dynamic interspinous spinal fixation systems
are called so because they allow to maintain a certain mobility in the operated segment of the spine. They are divided into designs with and without screws (interspinous implants). Such systems allow to perform more physiological fixation, prevent overgrowth of the intervertebral joints, which occurs when using other systems with more rigid fixation.
When spinal canal stenosis is combined with vertebral instability, or in case of multilevel stenosis, reconstructive and stabilizing operations are performed. In some cases, various types of cages are installed in the interbody space (the so-called PLIF technique, with fixation of adjacent vertebrae with titanium screws and beams).
Minimally invasive systems
Specially designed minimally invasive systems allow surgeons to install screws and rods that create a supporting “framework” for the affected parts of the spine through several small (up to 1.5 cm) skin incisions, rather than making a large and deep “half-back” wound for the necessary access to the spine.
The installation of these systems does not take place “blindly”, but under dosed X-ray control at any stage of the operation to remove the stenosis.
The undoubted advantages of this technique are its minimally invasiveness, cosmetic appearance, reduced blood loss during the operation, and shortened duration. The patient is usually able to get up on his feet on the day of the operation.
Neurosurgeon Borblyk E.V., Dmytruk V.S.
