Laminectomy in Louisville, Kentucky

A minimally invasive spinal decompression procedure that uses small incisions, muscle-sparing technique, and same-day discharge for appropriate candidates with lumbar spinal stenosis, neurogenic claudication, or nerve compression. Dr. Michael Casnellie and Dr. David McConda lead Aptiva Health's lumbar decompression program, combining decades of Louisville experience with fellowship-trained expertise from AOSpine — the international foundation that sets clinical standards in spine surgery. Medically reviewed by Michael Casnellie, MD, David McConda, MD, and Steven Ganzel, DO — May 2026.

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Lumbar Laminectomy — Relieving Nerve Pressure, Not Fusing the Spine

If you've been suffering with leg pain, leg heaviness, cramping with walking, numbness, or weakness from lumbar spinal stenosis, thickened spinal ligaments, or bone spurs pressing on your nerves — and conservative care hasn't worked — a lumbar laminectomy may be the right next step.

A laminectomy is a decompression procedure. The surgeon removes a portion of the lamina — the bony roof of the spinal canal — along with any thickened ligament or bone spur that is pressing on the nerves. The goal is simple: make more room for the nerves so they can stop firing pain signals down your legs.

At Aptiva Health in Louisville, we perform lumbar laminectomy using minimally invasive techniques through a small midline incision, with muscle-sparing retractors that dilate the back muscles rather than cutting them. Most patients go home the same day, walk within hours of surgery, and return to desk work within two weeks.

A laminectomy does not fuse your spine. The vertebrae continue to move normally afterward. For patients whose problem is nerve compression and structural instability (such as spondylolisthesis), a fusion procedure such as MAS TLIF may be added. For patients whose problem is a focal disc herniation pressing on a single nerve root, a microdiscectomy is often the better choice. We'll help you understand which procedure fits your anatomy.

Conditions We Treat With Lumbar Laminectomy

Lumbar laminectomy is the minimally invasive solution for nerve compression caused by narrowing of the spinal canal. It is most commonly used for:

• Lumbar spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses the spinal nerves, causing leg pain, heaviness, and cramping (the #1 indication for laminectomy)

• Neurogenic claudication — leg pain, weakness, or cramping that comes on with walking or standing and is relieved by sitting or bending forward (the classic symptom of lumbar stenosis)

• Severe central disc herniations that cause canal stenosis affecting multiple nerve roots

• Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum — thickening of the spinal ligaments that pinches the nerves

• Lumbar bone spurs (osteophytes) compressing the spinal canal

• Lumbar radiculopathy unresponsive to conservative care, when caused by stenosis rather than a focal disc herniation

• Cauda equina syndrome — a surgical emergency where severe central compression causes loss of bowel or bladder control and saddle numbness

• Synovial cysts of the lumbar spine compressing the nerves

Not sure if your back and leg pain is a stenosis problem, a disc problem, or an instability problem? Compare options on our MAS TLIF Louisville, Microdiscectomy Louisville, and Spine Surgery Louisville pages, or get evaluated by an Aptiva spine provider.

Laminectomy vs. Fusion vs. Microdiscectomy — Which Procedure Is Right?

All three procedures relieve nerve compression in the lumbar spine. The difference is what is causing the compression and whether the spine needs to be stabilized.

Lumbar Laminectomy (Decompression Only)

• Removes a portion of the lamina to make room for compressed nerves

• Does not fuse vertebrae — motion is preserved

• Best for lumbar spinal stenosis without instability

• Single small midline incision, typically less than two inches

• Outpatient — same-day discharge for most patients

• Surgery time: 1 to 2 hours

• Return to desk work: ~2 weeks

• Return to physical labor: 6 to 12 weeks

Lumbar Microdiscectomy

• Removes only the herniated piece of disc pressing on a single nerve root

• The smallest of the three procedures

• Best for focal disc herniation with leg pain (sciatica) when imaging shows a single compressed nerve

• Outpatient, typically less than one-inch incision

• Surgery time: ~1 hour

• See Microdiscectomy Louisville for full details

Lumbar Fusion — MAS TLIF

• Decompresses the nerves and fuses two vertebrae together with an interbody cage, screws, and rods

• Best for stenosis plus instability — e.g., spondylolisthesis, severe degenerative disc disease, or recurrent disc herniation with mechanical back pain

• Outpatient or one-night stay possible for appropriately selected patients

• Surgery time: 2 to 4 hours

• See MAS TLIF Louisville for full details

The key question: Is your spine stable? If imaging shows stenosis but the vertebrae are not slipping, a laminectomy alone is usually enough. If imaging shows stenosis plus abnormal vertebral motion, a laminectomy combined with fusion gives more durable relief. Aptiva's surgeons recommend the smallest, least invasive procedure that will solve the problem — not the biggest one.

What to Expect From Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery

Before Surgery

• Lumbar MRI (and sometimes a CT) at Aptiva Health Imaging in Louisville to confirm the level and source of nerve compression

• Pre-operative consultation with your Aptiva spine surgeon to review imaging, symptoms, and surgical plan

• Medical clearance and pre-operative labs

• Confirmation that conservative care has been exhausted (typically including physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, activity modification, and often one or more epidural steroid injections)

• Fasting instructions per anesthesia protocol

• Arrange a ride home — you cannot drive yourself the day of surgery

Day of Surgery

• Arrive 1 to 2 hours before surgery start time

• General anesthesia administered

• Small midline or paramedian incision made over the affected lumbar level (typically less than two inches)

• Muscle-sparing retractors used to gain access without cutting the back muscles

• Under microscopic or loupe magnification, the surgeon removes the appropriate portion of the lamina using a surgical drill and Kerrison rongeurs

• Thickened ligamentum flavum is removed

• Bone spurs compressing the nerves are decompressed

• The spinal nerves are directly visualized to confirm decompression is complete

• Incision is closed in layers

• Single-level procedure typically takes 1 to 2 hours

• 2 to 3 hours in post-anesthesia recovery, then discharge home the same day for most patients

After Surgery

• Walking encouraged within hours of surgery

• Most patients report immediate relief of leg pain, heaviness, or cramping

• Pain medication tapered quickly as discomfort subsides

• Desk work: typically 2 weeks

• Driving: typically 2 weeks (once off narcotic pain medication)

• Light exercise: 4 weeks

• Physical labor and high-impact activity: 6 to 12 weeks

• No bone-growth waiting period — unlike a fusion, recovery is governed by soft-tissue healing alone

• Post-operative follow-up at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months

Why Choose Aptiva Health for Your Laminectomy

Minimally invasive technique, not traditional open decompression. Aptiva performs lumbar laminectomy using small incisions and muscle-sparing retractors — not the larger midline incision and muscle-stripping approach used in traditional open laminectomy. Patients recover at home, not in a multi-day hospital stay.

Fellowship-trained spine surgeons. Dr. McConda completed his fellowship at OrthoCarolina Spine Center through the AOSpine North America Spine Surgery Fellowship — the program of AOSpine, the international foundation that sets the clinical standards for spine surgery worldwide. Dr. Casnellie has been performing lumbar surgery in Louisville since 2005 and is one of the most experienced spine surgeons in Kentucky.

A dedicated spine team. Spine surgery isn't a side specialty at Aptiva — it's a focus. Our Louisville team includes board-certified spine and orthopedic surgeons, an interventional pain physician, and dedicated PAs and an NP who care for spine patients every day.

Honest guidance — decompression only when conservative care has failed. We don't recommend surgery unless imaging shows a clear structural cause of nerve compression and a well-documented course of non-surgical care has failed. Our interventional pain specialist, Dr. Steven Ganzel, performs epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency ablation — non-surgical options that provide lasting relief for many patients with spinal stenosis and may avoid the need for surgery entirely.

The right procedure — not the biggest one. For patients with a single herniated disc and no stenosis, lumbar microdiscectomy is often the better choice. For patients with stenosis plus instability, a combined laminectomy and MAS TLIF fusion may be appropriate. We evaluate every patient individually and recommend the least invasive procedure that will solve the problem.

Fast access. Stop waiting weeks for an answer. Most patients see an Aptiva spine provider within days of calling.

One team, start to finish. From your first call to your final post-op visit, you'll work with the same Aptiva team. We handle insurance verification, scheduling, and post-op care in-house.

Cash-pay options available. For patients without insurance — or with high deductibles — we offer transparent, all-inclusive cash-pay pricing for laminectomy that includes the surgeon, facility, anesthesia, and post-operative visits. No surprise hospital bills.

Schedule your appointment today!

Your Louisville Spine Care Team

At Aptiva Health, your spine care is delivered by a team of board-certified surgeons and advanced practice providers who focus on the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of conditions of the cervical and lumbar spine — including spinal stenosis, herniated discs, sciatica, and degenerative spine conditions.

Insurances Accepted

Aptiva Health accepts most major insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid Managed Care, workers' compensation, and auto insurance (PIP and Medpay). We verify benefits and provide a clear cost estimate before surgery.

Lumbar laminectomy is a well-established procedure covered by Medicare and most major commercial insurance plans when medically necessary. Single-level and multi-level laminectomies are both routinely covered when imaging and clinical criteria are met.

For patients paying out of pocket, we offer transparent, bundled cash-pay pricing for lumbar laminectomy that includes the surgeon, facility, anesthesia, and post-operative visits — no surprise itemized hospital bills.

Call 502-414-0036 to verify your insurance or request a cash-pay quote.

Ready for Relief From Leg Pain and Spinal Stenosis?

If you've been suffering with leg pain, heaviness, cramping with walking, numbness, or weakness — and conservative care hasn't worked — it's time to talk to Aptiva's spine team about whether a lumbar laminectomy is right for you.

Schedule a Consultation in Louisville — Schedule Now

Aptiva Health — Spine Center of Excellence 3615 Newburg Road, Suite 101, Louisville, KY 40218 Phone: 1-866-439-6696 | Direct: 502-414-0036

Additional Louisville locations also serving spine patients:

• Louisville East — 10100 Linn Station Road, Suite 1A, Louisville, KY 40223 — Tel: 502-465-8254

• Louisville Downtown — 300 South 13th Street, Louisville, KY 40203 — Tel: 502-583-1011

• Louisville Imaging — 3615 Newburg Road, Suite 106, Louisville, KY 40218 — Tel: 502-465-8254

• Louisville Middletown — 401 N English Station Road, Suite 1A, Louisville, KY 40223 — Tel: 502-465-8254

• Concussion & Sports Medicine Institute (on-site MRI) — 3611 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218 — Tel: 502-465-8254

Elizabethtown location serving spine patients:

• Aptiva Health Orthopedics — Elizabethtown — 529 Westport Road, Suite 2, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 — Tel: 270-512-5480

Mt. Washington location serving spine patients:

• Aptiva Health Orthopedics — Mt. Washington — 737 N Hwy 31e Bypass, Suite 2, Mt. Washington, KY 40047 — Tel: 502-465-8254

Lumbar Laminectomy: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lumbar laminectomy?

A lumbar laminectomy is a surgical decompression procedure that removes a portion of the lamina — the bony roof of the spinal canal — to create more space for compressed spinal nerves. It is the most common surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis. The goal is not to fuse or stabilize the spine but simply to relieve nerve pressure caused by narrowing of the spinal canal. At Aptiva Health in Louisville, lumbar laminectomy is performed using minimally invasive techniques through a small incision on an outpatient basis for most appropriately selected patients.

What conditions does a laminectomy treat?

Lumbar laminectomy is most commonly used to treat lumbar spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses the nerves and causes neurogenic claudication (leg pain, heaviness, or cramping when walking or standing). It is also used for severe central disc herniations causing canal stenosis, thickened ligamentum flavum, bone spurs compressing the nerves, and lumbar radiculopathy that has not responded to conservative care. Cauda equina syndrome is an emergency indication for laminectomy.

What is the difference between a laminectomy and a fusion?

A laminectomy removes pressure from compressed nerves by creating more space in the spinal canal — it does not stabilize or fuse the spine. A lumbar fusion (such as MAS TLIF) joins two vertebrae together to eliminate abnormal motion. Laminectomy is the right answer when the problem is nerve compression from stenosis but the spine itself is stable. Fusion is added when there is structural instability — for example, spondylolisthesis or significant degenerative motion. Many patients with spinal stenosis need only a laminectomy; some patients with stenosis plus instability need both.

What is the difference between a laminectomy and a microdiscectomy?

A microdiscectomy removes a small piece of herniated disc material pressing on a single nerve root. It is the right procedure when a focal disc herniation is the cause of leg pain. A laminectomy removes a portion of the lamina to decompress the entire central spinal canal. It is the right procedure when the cause of nerve compression is generalized canal narrowing from stenosis, thickened ligaments, or bone spurs — not a focal disc herniation. Some patients have both problems and may need a combination procedure.

Is laminectomy an outpatient procedure?

Yes. Most single-level lumbar laminectomies at Aptiva Health in Louisville are performed as outpatient procedures. Patients arrive in the morning, undergo surgery lasting 1 to 2 hours, recover for 2 to 3 hours, and are discharged home the same day. Multi-level laminectomies or patients with significant medical comorbidities may require a brief overnight observation.

Am I a candidate for laminectomy?

Laminectomy is generally considered when a patient has chronic leg pain, leg heaviness or cramping with walking (neurogenic claudication), weakness, or numbness caused by lumbar spinal stenosis or nerve compression confirmed on MRI, and conservative treatment has not provided lasting relief. Conservative care usually includes physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, activity modification, and at least one course of epidural steroid injections. A consultation and review of lumbar imaging with Dr. Casnellie or Dr. McConda determines whether laminectomy is appropriate.

How long does laminectomy surgery take?

A single-level lumbar laminectomy typically takes 1 to 2 hours of surgical time. Two-level laminectomies take proportionally longer. Including pre-operative preparation, anesthesia, and post-anesthesia recovery, most patients are at the surgical facility for 4 to 6 hours before being discharged home the same day.

How long is the recovery after a laminectomy?

Walking is encouraged within hours of surgery. Most patients return to desk-based work within 2 weeks. Driving generally resumes within 2 weeks once off narcotic pain medication. Light exercise resumes around 4 weeks. Physical labor and high-impact activity typically resume at 6 to 12 weeks. Because laminectomy is a decompression procedure — not a fusion — there is no waiting period for bone to grow, and most patients feel substantially better within the first 2 to 4 weeks.

What is the success rate of laminectomy?

Published clinical studies of lumbar laminectomy for spinal stenosis report significant improvement in leg pain and walking distance in approximately 80 to 90 percent of appropriately selected patients. Outcomes are most predictable when surgery is performed by a fellowship-trained spine surgeon on patients who have failed conservative care and have a clear structural cause of nerve compression on imaging.

Will I lose flexibility in my lower back after a laminectomy?

Because laminectomy does not fuse vertebrae or remove the discs, motion in the lower back is preserved. The lamina is part of the bony roof of the spinal canal; removing a portion of it does not meaningfully limit how the spine moves. Most patients gain functional range of motion after surgery because the leg pain and weakness that limited their activity is relieved.

Will my insurance cover laminectomy?

Yes. Lumbar laminectomy is a well-established procedure covered by Medicare and most major commercial insurance plans when medically necessary. Aptiva Health accepts most major insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid Managed Care, workers' compensation, and auto insurance (PIP and Medpay). Our team verifies benefits and provides a clear cost estimate before surgery. We also offer transparent, bundled cash-pay pricing for laminectomy that includes the surgeon, facility, anesthesia, and post-operative visits.

Who performs laminectomy at Aptiva Health in Louisville?

Lumbar laminectomy at Aptiva Health Spine in Louisville, Kentucky is performed by Dr. Michael Casnellie and Dr. David McConda — both board-certified orthopedic spine surgeons. Dr. Casnellie has been treating spine patients in Louisville since 2005. Dr. McConda is fellowship-trained at OrthoCarolina Spine Center through the AOSpine North America Spine Surgery Fellowship. The full Aptiva spine team — including Dr. Steven Ganzel for interventional pain procedures, Kayla Troutman, PA-C, David Koonce, DNP, and Michael Gilbert, PA-C — supports evaluation, surgical care, and post-operative follow-up.

Should I try non-surgical options before considering a laminectomy?

Yes. Laminectomy is generally considered only after conservative care has failed. Non-surgical options for lumbar spinal stenosis include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, activity modification, and interventional pain procedures such as epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency ablation. Many patients experience meaningful relief from these treatments and never require surgery. Dr. Steven Ganzel performs these interventional pain procedures as part of the Aptiva Health Spine Team.

Questions? Call us today! 502-414-0036