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What Are Advantages Of Laser Treatment For Spinal Stenosis?

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Posted on Wed, 9 Aug 2017
Question: What are advantages and disadvantages between even laser and more invasive surgical treatment of severe spinal stenosis, spondiolososis (sp?), severe pinching of nerve, and related severe weakness in step taking, walking, sitting and lying down: pain level 9? I'm 67 and contre golf, fish. Walk or do,enjoyable yard work?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Mahaveer Patil (25 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
AT THIS STAGE,SURGERY IS BEST

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for posting the question.
I have gone through your medical history in detail.

Level 9 pain with weakness in lower limbs and difficulty in step taking,walking ,sitting means the spinal nerve is severely pinched and laser treatment will hardly help.

The pain relief provide by laser will be temporary and the pain will recur back after a few days.Laser being a non invasive procedure is actually a preferred treatment in majority of the cases as it has less known complications as compared to invasive surgery. But it is helpful only in stage 1 of a pinched nerve (mild compression) without any weaknes,when the only symptom is pain.

Level 2-3 pain usually responds better to laser and hence,surgery is not needed in such cases.

In your stage,though,unless the nerve is released from the compression,you won't get pain relief and this can only be done by surgical decompression (laminectomy/discectomy )

Endoscopically done minimally invasive surgical decompression offers better results with a faster recovery as compared to conventional open surgery.

I hope the answer was useful.

Feel free to ask me any follow up queries that you may have.

Thank you.
Kind regards.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Mahaveer Patil

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 1209 Questions

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What Are Advantages Of Laser Treatment For Spinal Stenosis?

Brief Answer: AT THIS STAGE,SURGERY IS BEST Detailed Answer: Hi, Thank you for posting the question. I have gone through your medical history in detail. Level 9 pain with weakness in lower limbs and difficulty in step taking,walking ,sitting means the spinal nerve is severely pinched and laser treatment will hardly help. The pain relief provide by laser will be temporary and the pain will recur back after a few days.Laser being a non invasive procedure is actually a preferred treatment in majority of the cases as it has less known complications as compared to invasive surgery. But it is helpful only in stage 1 of a pinched nerve (mild compression) without any weaknes,when the only symptom is pain. Level 2-3 pain usually responds better to laser and hence,surgery is not needed in such cases. In your stage,though,unless the nerve is released from the compression,you won't get pain relief and this can only be done by surgical decompression (laminectomy/discectomy ) Endoscopically done minimally invasive surgical decompression offers better results with a faster recovery as compared to conventional open surgery. I hope the answer was useful. Feel free to ask me any follow up queries that you may have. Thank you. Kind regards.