# Experience with anterior/posterior laminectomy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 10, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149 "2015-10-10T15:07:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149/1 "2015-10-10T15:07:51Z")

</div>

Has anyone had or been close to someone who has had this surgery?

I have a friend who is likely facing this very soon and I’m looking for up-close-and-personal stories, the good, the bad, and the ugly. (If I can work in another cliche, I will.)

He has multiple other health issues that I won’t go into–I’m mostly wanting to hear about recovery issues, i.e., pain relief, AGE of the patient, loss of time from work, long term benefits. If you can work in something positive/optimistic, that would be great, as the research he’s done hasn’t offered much along those lines.

Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149/2 "2015-10-12T13:11:56Z")

</div>

Giving it a bump. No one? (Or did no one survive the surgery? ☹ )

I know I’m only allowed one bump.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149/3 "2015-10-12T13:23:46Z")

</div>

What is it? I’m guessing from the name that it’s a removal of a layer from the front and back, but a layer of what, and from the front and back of what?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149/4 "2015-10-12T13:42:44Z")

</div>

[Laminectomy](http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/laminectomy/basics/definition/prc-20009521)

> [@](#):
>
> Laminectomy is surgery that creates space by removing the lamina — the back part of the vertebra that covers your spinal canal. Also known as decompression surgery, laminectomy enlarges your spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.

I’m looking for someone who has had it and is alive to tell about it. I was assuming that if you’ve had it, you’d know what it was.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-anterior-posterior-laminectomy/734149/5 "2015-10-15T12:01:18Z")

</div>

Good news: he doesn’t need the surgery.

Bad news: he was hoping for some relief, but his problem can’t be helped by surgery. ☹

Carry on.