Vertiflex is also a same-day outpatient-based procedure that takes about 30 minutes. Because the VertiFlex Superion contains some titanium, this procedure isn’t a good solution for you if you’re allergic to that metal. The entire procedure is performed through a small tube inserted in your back, so the incision is tiny, and the recovery is relatively easy. The device is then expanded to open up the space between the vertebrae, and the nerves are freed. This H-shaped device is placed between the vertebrae that are rubbing against one another due to compression from spinal stenosis. Shah inserts a tiny implant called VertiFlex Superion. VertiFlex™ Superion™Īnother treatment option for lumbar spinal stenosis, if it doesn’t respond to other pain management techniques, is a procedure that increases the space in your spinal column without surgically removing the lamina or spinal bone. Although you should relax and avoid strenuous activity for a few weeks, you can go back to your normal routine quickly and the procedure typically takes about 15-30 minutes. Your results are instant, and most patients report relief immediately following the MILD procedure and go home the same day as the procedure. By preserving healthy tissue, MILD reduces the need to add metal hardware to maintain your spinal strength. His surgical tools are guided by digital X-ray imaging that allows him to target the affected vertebra and remove the back portion of the ligament without harming the supportive muscles and other tissues. Shah makes a tiny incision about the diameter of a pencil eraser to enter the area of the spine that has spinal arthritis and overgrowth of ligaments. Instead of general anesthesia, you only need a local anesthetic to numb the area in addition to very light sedation. Shah performs minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD) by Vertos Medical. Shah, our double-board certified pain management expert, specializes in a minimally invasive and non-surgical version of laminectomy that greatly reduces the damage to surrounding tissue during the procedure, which, in turn, makes recovery faster and easier. For instance, if you have bone spurs, small growths protruding from your vertebra, a laminectomy gets rid of the back portion of that vertebra (called the lamina) to relieve the pressure and open up the space.ĭr. This treatment removes part of the vertebra that’s putting pressure on your nerve. One of the most effective treatments for treating lumbar spinal stenosis is a procedure called laminectomy. MILD ® - minimally invasive lumbar decompression Shah at Samwell Institute for Pain Management offers two highly successful treatments that can stop your lumbar spinal stenosis pain once and for all. In its early stages, you can get some relief from the pain through physical therapy and medication to reduce inflammation.īut when these conservative measures don’t work, and you’ve been suffering for six months or more, Dr. You may also experience numbness, tingling, burning, heaviness, cramping, and weakness in your legs and difficulty walking long distances. The compressed nerves cause lower back pain, as well as pain that runs through your buttocks and down your legs (called sciatica or “neurogenic claudication”). This narrowing can also occur if the ligaments in your spine thicken and overgrow, or if you have spinal osteoarthritis or an overgrowth of bony matter or you suffer an injury, as all these conditions reduce the space in your spinal column and press on nerves. When your discs harden, shrink, or rupture, it causes changes that reduce the amount of space you have in your spinal canal, and in turn, cramps the nerves that should run freely in that tube-like environment - this is called lumbar spinal stenosis. The reason this area is so susceptible to pain as you age is that the constant movement throughout your life has caused friction in the joints of your spine, and the discs that once cushioned the bones have become worn down. One of the places at risk, when you get older, is your lower back, called your lumbar spinal region. Just like the outward signs of aging, the passing of time takes its toll on the inside of your body as well.