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Post-Laminectomy Pain Syndrome

Post-Laminectomy Pain Syndrome Specialist in Houston, TX

A patient with post laminectomy syndrome experiences persistent pain following a corrective laminectomy or other type of back surgery. Although post-laminectomy syndrome symptoms might vary greatly, they generally include pain in the neck, low back, and limbs. Almost 20% of patients who complete a laminectomy for back pain will still feel pain after the surgery. Dr. Pawan Grover, MDPA will provide treatment options to help with the pain as an alternative to previous surgery options. For more information, contact us or book an online appointment. We serve patients from Houston, TX and surrounding areas.

Post-Laminectomy Pain Syndrome Specialist Near Me in Houston, TX
Post-Laminectomy Pain Syndrome Specialist Near Me in Houston, TX

Table of Contents:

Post-Laminectomy Pain Syndrome Overview
What are the causes of post-laminectomy syndrome?
What are the symptoms of post-laminectomy syndrome?
What does post-laminectomy syndrome mean?
Is post-laminectomy syndrome chronic?
How do you treat post-laminectomy pain syndrome?

Post-Laminectomy Pain Syndrome Overview


Post-laminectomy pain syndrome occurs when following a laminectomy the patient continues to feel persistent pain. A laminectomy is a type of back surgery performed to relieve nerve compression most often associated with a herniated disc.

Doctors may also refer to this syndrome as failed back syndrome since the desired results from the surgery were not achieved and chronic pain still plagues the patient.

What are the causes of post-laminectomy syndrome?


There are several reasons why a patient might continue to experience pain after the surgery. The compressed nerve might have been too damaged and the surgery could not fully repair it. As the body heals after a laminectomy, scar tissue can form around the nerve causing chronic pain to the patient.

What are the symptoms of post-laminectomy syndrome?


Symptoms for this type of pain vary from person to person. The patient could experience the exact same pain as they had before the surgery. Other symptoms include a dull achy pain in the spine or sharp stabbing pain that radiates down the back of the legs.

What does post-laminectomy syndrome mean?


First off, laminectomy is a type of surgery that reduces the pressure that was put on the nerves in the spinal cord and helps to relieve pressure by removing a part of a vertebra. Post-laminectomy syndrome is a known condition that can occur in a patient that has undergone a laminectomy surgery and is when the patient continues to feel pain after the surgery or another form of back surgery.

Spinal surgery is often done to correct anatomical issues within the spine which can cause pain with particular methods like decompressing pinched nerves, fixing deformed structures, and stabilizing the spine for safe movement.

Patients who are dealing with failed back surgery symptoms may often experience pain similar to what was felt before surgery, and/or discomfort including stiffness, weakness, numbness, sharper pain, and diffuse pain, or felt in a different area of the body.

This can cause the patient to deal with persistent pain which is often not a well-known symptom to many, and it can be due to the surgery being unsuccessful in decompressing the nerve, or the cause is due to the original back pain not being fully addressed, the patient may be dealing with recurring disc herniation, unforeseen nerve damage, spinal fusion has failed, or the procedure was unsuccessful for a particular reason.

Before any doctor is able to move forward with the treatment of the symptoms, they need to complete many tests to pinpoint the exact cause of the patient’s pain before recommending additional treatment options. Physicians may recommend a combination of a few treatment options including narcotics, neuromodulator medications, anti-inflammatory medications, nerve block injections, additional surgery, and/or electrical stimulation of the spinal cord.

Is post-laminectomy syndrome chronic?


It’s unfortunate to report, that with so many surgeries performed each and every year, on average about 20% of patients will experience ongoing back pain after their spinal surgery. Lack of pain relief from their spinal surgery is known as a post-laminectomy syndrome, which may also be recognized as a failed back syndrome.

Patients who have been diagnosed with post-laminectomy syndrome will often live with chronic pain and disability for the rest of their lives unless other treatment methods are completed. Their suffering can cause significant distress and can be exacerbated by financial pressure which arises due to the inability to sustain employment due to the symptoms. This just shows that post-laminectomy syndrome is a costly and challenging chronic disorder.

However, there are pain relief options available for patients who are suffering from back pain after surgery. The physicians at InovoSpine bring years of pain management experience to their patients, they understand the inconvenience their patients are dealing with when living with the post-laminectomy syndrome. The entire clinic is dedicated to providing its patients with minimally invasive treatment alternatives.

How do you treat post-laminectomy pain syndrome?


There are many different treatment options available for post-laminectomy pain syndrome, it all comes down to each individual patient’s level of pain. Our treatment options can include specific conservative measures and innovative procedures to help, some of these treatment options include:

– Anti-inflammatory medication
Anti-inflammatory medication is also known as NSAIDs, these are often used in combination with other therapy options.

– Physical therapy, and at-home exercises
Physical therapy and exercise are specifically created to help correct the patient’s posture and strengthen their muscles while supporting the back.

– Opioids
Opioids can be used for pain management; however, the side effects and responses from opioids are dangerous and long-term outcomes can be unpredictable.

– Spinal cord stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation is when electrodes are applied to the epidural space of the spinal cord area that often has felt pain. Electric currents will start to interfere with pain conduction pathways to allow relief.

– Epidural nerve block
An epidural nerve block is the use of an injection of medication into the epidural space that is located in the spinal column. Patients can have up to three injections over a six-month timespan.

– Facet joint injections
Facet joint injections
are a local anesthetic that is combined with anti-inflammatory medications to help relieve any swelling and pain felt in the back.

– Radiofrequency neurotomy
Radiofrequency neurotomy is the deadening of the nerves with the use of thermal energy. This procedure will provide pain relief for up to six to twelve months.

– Adhesiolysis
Adhesiolysis is a particular process that disconnects any fibrotic scar tissue that may have developed following surgery. The scar tissue can be removed either chemically or mechanically.

– Specialized inhibitors
Specialized inhibitors are the process that combats chemical mediators, which can be the main cause of inflammatory spinal pain.

For more information, contact us or schedule an online appointment. We serve patients from Houston TX, Hedwig Village TX, Meadows Place TX, Missouri City TX, Hunters Creek Village TX, Spring Valley Village TX, and surrounding areas.