Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD) is an outpatient treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a common condition that happens when nerves within the spine are compressed by a narrowing of the spinal canal. This results in pain and tingling in the back, buttocks, and legs.
The MILD procedure removes enlarged ligament and/or bone in the spine to decompress the spinal nerves, and therefore relieve pain.
Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression is a treatment option for:
Here’s what to expect with the MILD procedure.
There is minimal preparation needed for minimally invasive lumbar decompression. If you are on a blood thinner, you may be instructed to discontinue the blood thinner.
Minimally invasive lumbar decompression is performed in a procedure room or operating room with the patient lying on his/her stomach. The physician will use an x-ray to guide a small instrument through a small skin incision to the area of the spine that is causing spinal stenosis symptoms. Using special tools, the physician will then remove small pieces of ligament and/or bone from the area of the spine responsible for compressing the nerves and causing pain.
Discharge instructions may vary, but many patients experience an immediate decrease in overall pain. You may experience some discomfort around the incision point, but that should subside within a week.
To learn more about minimally invasive lumbar decompression and if you might be a good candidate, fill out the form below to schedule a consultation.