What are the surgical options for patients with spinal stenosis?

Possible surgical treatment options for lumbar spinal stenosis include a laminectomy, a laminectomy and fusion, or an X STOP interspinous process device. Your spinal surgeon will determine which procedure is most appropriate for you. Generally, the more severe the stenosis the more likely you will require a spinal fusion.
Cervical stenosis is generally treated by a fusion procedure. This can be performed either through the front of the neck (anterior approach) or the back of the neck (posterior approach). Ninety percent of patients with cervical stenosis can be treated via the anterior approach. This procedure is called an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.