Degeneration of the body is something which we might never be able to stop. However, we can resist some of the impacts of this degeneration caused inside our body. We are here talking about treating back pain which results from a degeneration of the facet joints in the spinal column.

The Problem

The spinal surgery Facetectomy addresses the problem of degeneration of facet joints. This type of joint is also known as zygapophysial joint. It is a movable joint between the inferior articular process of the vertebra of one vertebra and the superior articular process directly below it. Their primary objective is to guide the movement of the spinal column.

Degeneration in facet joints not only results in the limiting of movement of the spinal column, it also results in the compression of the spinal nerve roots that are housed inside the spinal canal located in between these facet joints. The result is a back pain which is initially localized but starts to spread around with an increase in the amount of pressure exerted.

Facetectomy Spinal Surgery- When Should It Be Recommended?

If a medical spine specialist diagnoses nerve root compression due to facet joint degeneration and when conventional methods of treating the ailment have started to fail, Facetectomy spinal surgery can be performed.

Facetectomy can also be performed if in case a person is suffering from a severe type of cervical rhizalgia (which happens when the nerve roots in the intervertebral foramina are severely compressed).
 
How Is The Surgery Performed?

The patient undergoing Facetectomy is administered general anesthesia and laid in a face-down position on the operation table. This makes the spinal region to be operated upon accessible to the surgeons. The area to be operated upon is then sterilized and opened up. After carefully retracting the muscles and nerves, the vertebrae bones housing the facet joints are reached.

Before sawing off the degenerated parts of the facet joints using a small drill saw, surgeons first determine the exact facet joint opening where the compression of spinal nerve is taking place. After that comes the turn of the ligament, which too is partially removed. This allows the surgeons access to the underlying compressed nerves.

Once it has been verified that no more compression of spinal nerves exists, the wound is cleaned and stitched up. The patient is given medication to reduce the effect of the anesthesia. Within a day or two the patient resumes full mobility and can leave the hospital premises.

Facetectomy vs. Laminotomy

Both Facetectomy and Laminotomy are performed with the same objective- decompressing the spinal root nerves. However, their target areas are different. While Facetectomy focuses on the facet joints, Laminotomy works on the lamina. These two are located adjacent to each other and at times there is a problem with both of them. Hence, it has been often seen that Facetectomy and Laminotomy are performed simultaneously.