FAQ's on Aneurysm Surgery

Q- What is Cervical Laminectomy?
Ans- Cervical Laminectomy
Neuro-anesthesia specialist and internal medicine consultants will pay visit to you and assess fitness with test including blood tests, X- rays and other radiological tests, Dobutamine stress echocardiogram for cardiac fitness and like. Other specialist may also see you on as and when required basis. Blood grouping and typing will be done so as to be ready for blood transfusion if you so need. Blood will not be routinely required to be reserved for this surgery exception being rare blood groups. Once fit for procedure, a fasting period of 6 hours will be required for anesthesia. Surgery will be done under general anesthesia.
Informed consent will need to be signed so as to permit the surgeon and anesthetist to undertake procedure in good faith. Consent form enumerates the disease process, reasons for undergoing surgery, benefits to expect, risks involved, alternative procedures if any, identifies operating surgeon and needs your informed consent along with a witness signature.
Once in operation theatre, general anesthesia will be introduced by asking you to breathe through a mask. Procedure involves surgery to be done in face down position with a midline skin incision in the neck, the incision will be deepened through a avascular plain upto the spinous process of vertebrae, paraspinal muscles will be separated and posterior bony elements will be removed / repositioned so as to create space in the spinal canal thus decompressing the spinal cord and / or nerve roots. Stabilization using rod and screws may be done if instability is encountered. The wound is closed with or without drainage tube, which is subsequently removed next morning. Anesthesia will be reversed in operation theatre and you will come out wide awake.
Breathing exercises and anti-embolic stockings help in healthy recovery. Subsequently with a cervical collar and physiotherapist mobilization will be done. After overnight stay under observation in ICU transit to ward will happen. Discharge from hospital will happen by twothree days after surgery. Physiotherapist will assist and teach you maneuvers which are to be continued even after discharge. Stitches may either be self dissolving, subcuticular (buried) or may require to be removed eight days after surgery.
Cervical collar needs to be worn for a period of three months, whenever sitting or ambulant.
Check X-Rays will be done on follow up thereafter to confirm bony healing.
Cervical laminectomy foramintomy
Although surgery is relatively safe, it dose carries certain associated risks. The incidence of risks this surgery in our hospital are low and are comparable to any other advanced neurosurgical centre.
<h3>Surgical complications include but are not restricted to:
Minor Complications :
1.1) Blood collection at the operative site.
1.2) Abnormal sensations or numbness in upper / lower limbs.
1.3) Infection in the wound causing redness or pain. Risk is slightly higher in patients with history of diabetes.
Major Complications :
2.1) Injury to the nerve covering (dura with leakage of cerebro-spinal fluid that can cause meningitis and poor wound healing).
2.2) Injury to the spinal cord / nerve root resulting in weakness of arms / legs.
2.3) Increase risk in obese people / smoker of wound infection, chest infection, partial lung collapse resulting in post operative breathlessness / difficulty in breathing.
2.4) Highest risk and rate of complications occur in patients who are bed ridden or have no movement in the lower limbs.
2.5) Persistent neck pain even after wound healing.
2.6) Movement or loosening of graft due to instrumentation resulting in swallowing difficulties.
After discharge from hospital, for further assistance please contact at following phone numbers: 26825558 / 26925858 or 5801 on ext. no. 2001 and 2012.