What is a Facetectomy?
The facet reefer are the joint in your spikelet from where the nerves exit your spinal electric cord through on their fashion to other parts of your body . These joints make your back flexible and enable you to twist and twist . Healthy facet roast have cartilage , which allows your vertebrae to move smoothly against each other without friction .
The aspect joints , over the clock time , are prostrate to particularly wear and tear to degenerative disease , especially if there is psychic trauma at some point in your life . So generally , facet joint do undergo rheumatic change , which befall with almost everyone with senescence . This does not necessitate the occurrence of botheration . cautious treatments include physiatrics , non - steroidal anti - inflammatories , exercise therapy , chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation , and spinal injections . These treatments can be very helpful in many cases ; however , there may be clip when these measures fail to control the pain . Facetectomy is only perform when these measures fail .
When is Facetectomy Indicated?
Lumbar facetectomy may be performed partially or completely . It may also be performed one-sidedly or after a traumatic wound to the spine bilaterally , depending upon the pathology and mechanics at hired man . The follow conditions may bespeak facetectomy .
A facetectomy procedure can relieve symptoms such as :
Preparing for Your Facetectomy
You will be provided training instructions before your facetectomy . You may be asked to do the chase to prepare for facetectomy surgical process ( consult your physician ):
Patients are asked to stop film certain supplements and medicinal drug before Facetectomy . Some supplements and medication can increase the risk of bleeding . The physician tells you which medications need to be stopped .
You will be asked to discontinue smoke as it has picture to slow down the recovery and add to back infliction . For these reason , you may be asked to stop smoking for some period of time before and after your facetectomy .
You will be asked to fast for 6 to 12 60 minutes – You will be told exactly how many minute you will want to lay off run through drinking before your facetectomy surgery .
How is Facetectomy Done?
This minimally invasive facetectomy procedure is perform through a pocket-sized incision measure out approximately 1 in with farthermost care taken not to damage the surround tissue paper . This is done under fluoroscopic guidance . The fluoroscope gives actual - prison term image of the pricker during the subprogram , enabling the precise remotion of the portion of the facet joint / pearl spur which is putting pressure on the nerves .
Once the damage has been repaired , the patient is displace to the recovery room and monitored . Most patients are discharged to home the same twenty-four hour period following facetectomy function .
The recuperation period depends upon the character of facetectomy you have gone through . For minimally invasive facetectomy the recovery period is about 4 to 6 week . Your doc will tell you when you may give to your activities of everyday living . send surgical pain is managed by annoyance medications . You may be prescribed physical therapy .
Before you decide that traditional subject back operating room is your undecomposed option , you should consider the safe , effective alternatives put up by your doctor . Facetectomy has its own danger and complications as discuss above . It is up to you to do the research for yourself , but the fact remain that some masses have found significant relief from this procedure , and start their life back .
