When spinal stability allows, Bhamb Spine considers focused decompression and motion-preserving reconstruction before fusion. The goal is to restore space around the neural tissues while retaining useful movement at the treated level whenever appropriate.
Keeping motion when possible
Fusion intentionally removes motion at the treated level. For selected conditions, a smaller decompression or motion-preserving procedure may relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves without joining the vertebrae together.
Minimally invasive laminotomy
A laminotomy removes a limited portion of the lamina through a focused access corridor. This can create space around compressed nerve tissue while preserving more of the surrounding bone, joints, ligaments, and motion than a wider decompression.
Laminoplasty
For selected cervical conditions, laminoplasty reshapes and repositions the lamina to enlarge the spinal canal. The procedure is designed to create room for the spinal cord while preserving motion rather than fusing the treated vertebrae.
Disc replacement
When a damaged cervical or lumbar disc is the source of compression, disc replacement may restore disc height, create space around the nerves, and preserve motion at the treated level for an appropriate candidate.
When fusion cannot be avoided
Some conditions require stabilization with fusion. When that is necessary, minimally invasive XLIF and ALIF access pathways may reach the disc through a lateral or anterior approach and limit disruption of the posterior spinal muscles. The safest approach depends on the level, anatomy, diagnosis, prior surgery, and individual treatment goals.