Posterior Cervical Decompression (Laminectomy / Laminoplasty)

What it is and why we do it

This operation relieves pressure on the spinal cord from the back of the neck by making more room in the canal. It is especially useful when several levels are involved, as in multilevel stenosis, myelopathy, or OPLL. I make space either by removing the back wall of bone (laminectomy) or by hinging it open to enlarge the canal while keeping the bone (laminoplasty); sometimes a fusion is added for stability or alignment.

What happens during surgery

Through an incision in the back of the neck, I reach the bony arch that forms the back of the canal. In a laminoplasty, I create a hinge and prop the canal open, which preserves more of your own structure; in a laminectomy, I remove that bone. If your alignment or stability calls for it, I add screws and rods to fuse the segment.

Your recovery

Most people stay in the hospital one to a few days. Some neck soreness and stiffness are expected and improve with time and physical therapy. Return to activity is gradual over several weeks; I will tailor the timeline to whether a fusion was part of your surgery.

Activity and restrictions

Early on, avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity, and follow any guidance about a collar and therapy. Avoiding nicotine helps healing, particularly if a fusion was performed. We build activity back up step by step.

The science — for the curious

The posterior approach shines when many levels need decompression at once. Where I can, I favor laminoplasty, which reopens the canal while preserving motion and your own protective bone, over laminectomy with fusion — because a fused level adds stress to its neighbors. The right choice depends on your alignment: a neck that bends forward (kyphosis), for instance, may be better served from the front. We match the operation to your specific anatomy.

Learn more

OrthoInfo — Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Surgical Treatment Options: orthoinfo.aaos.org

North American Spine Society — Cervical Stenosis & Myelopathy: spine.org / KnowYourBack

This handout is general education about this procedure and does not replace the specific plan, risks, and consent discussion we have together. Your own situation may differ — if anything here does not match what we talked about, what we talked about wins, so please ask me.