Laminectomy refers to the spinal surgery that involves removing part of the vertebra to reduce pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord. Spinal surgery can lead to many complications, and Post Laminectomy Syndrome is one of them. In this, a patient continues to feel pain after undergoing a correctional laminectomy or back surgery. It is a complex issue that can take on multiple forms and depend on many factors. Factors related to how the surgery went, how the recovery period was, how the patient feels and behaves, whether the patient went through any injuries during or after the operation all play an essential role.

Post-laminectomy syndrome symptoms are highly shifting, but primarily include the lower back, neck pain, and pain in the extremities.

Pain in the axial spine is a common symptom of the post-laminectomy syndrome. The problem is usually attributed to an abnormality or degradation of one of the many spinal column structures. Many causes lead to it, including muscle spasms, arthritis, disc herniation, painful instrumentations (e.g., a metal used in spinal fusion), and surgical complications like bleeding and infection. Post laminectomy syndrome can also lead to neurological problems to different parts of the body, most commonly in the arms and legs. Neurological problems include sensations of heat, cold, tingling, shock, pain without any noticeable external stimuli. These occur due to the nerve damage in the spine, rather than the pain location itself, as the spinal cord is responsible for communication between the brain and body.

Patients with the post-laminectomy syndrome may also complain of neurologic symptoms radiating to areas distant from the spine- most often the arms or legs. Neurologic pain can reproduce any form of sensation such as heat, cold, or electricity, but is being produced by the injured nerves themselves, rather than by sensing an actual problem in the extremity. Sometimes neurological symptoms take the form of feelings of heaviness, loss of strength and stamina, and dysfunction of the excretory organs. Depending on what part of the spine is affected, different parts of the body can be affected. Patients may suffer from arachnoiditis, inflammation in the spinal column, and difficulty breathing.

If you’ve recently undergone an operation and are experiencing any of these symptoms, please consult a doctor. A professional medical examination will investigate the cause of the problem, and appropriate treatment can be performed. Doctors may need imaging scans to understand the situation better. Once the problem has been diagnosed, the doctor may prescribe medication, changes to your daily routine, and dietary changes. Anti-inflammatory and pain medication may be prescribed. In most cases, however, additional surgery or inter-spinal fluidal injections may be required.