Laminectomy/Laminotomy: Episode 82 

  • In this episode: What is the difference between a Laminectomy and Laminotomy and when are they used.

  • Chip Review @ (07:29): Deep River – Mango Habanero

  • Trivia question of the week @ (05:16): What is a group of hippos called?

  • Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.

  • Thanks for listening!!

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Brief overview of the episode: 

            Laminectomy and laminotomy are both used to increase space around a spinal nerve. They are both forms of spinal decompression.
            Laminectomy is a complete removal of the lamina which is a part of the spinal vertebra. This procedure can often be on it’s own but it is often done in conjunction with a fusion. A fusion is done because the full removal of the lamina can lead to instability, specifically anterior instability known as a spondylolisthesis.
            Laminotomy is a partial removal of the lamina. This opens up space but maintains stability. This procedure is usually done without any additional surgical intervention.
            Both are typically done when stenosis is present and non-surgical treatment has not provided adequate pain relief. It is always a good idea to purse all non-surgical options prior to committing to a spinal surgery because at the end of the day you can’t put the lamina back.

 


Other Episodes you might enjoy:

Pain: Episode 29

Discectomy: Episode 81

Stenosis: Episode 36

 

Morton’s Neuroma: Episode 49

  • In this episode: Morton’s Neuroma. Pain in the forefoot and between the toes, sometimes numbness and/0r tingling. Usually related to tight footwear. (01:06)

  • Chip Review: Pop Chips Potato – Crazy Hot, Thank you to Skylar and his Mom (12:45)

  • Trivia question of the week: What names were given to the three tunnels in the movie The Great Escape? (11:10)

  • Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.

  • Thanks for listening!!

Morton’s neuroma symptoms, typically pain in the foot, worse with shoe wear or boot wear or stake wear, any kind of compression of the foot. It is most common in middle age. More common in women, but that could just be footwear related. Most commonly seen a the 3rd digital nerve. However, any of the digital nerves are possible. More or less the middle of the foot.
A neuroma is typically caused by an enlargement of the nerve ending, almost like a benign tumor of the nerve ending. This enlargement then causes compression, which results in pain, numbness, and/or tingling. Historically surgery, minimally invasive, to remove the growth was an early treatment option.
Much more recently physical therapy treatment and other non-surgical options have been found to be as if not more effective. Intrinsic foot strengthening, getting the muscle of the foot stronger as well as doing a shoe assessment and looking at the daily activities that are causing pressure on the forefoot are the places to start working to correct.
Generally speaking unloading the forefoot will help. Djimmer has been using a very simple taping technique where you pinch the bottom of the foot together. This causes the top of the foot to open up and reduce the pressure on the neuroma. 99/100 times this will relieve the neuroma. This is a temporary solution but it allows for patients to be comfortable and then work on strengthening, balance and the other aspects of treatment.
If taping is helpful often times an off the rack orthotic will be appropriate. You don’t always need a $3-400 orthotic custom made for it to be affective. This is something you can cut to length and move from one shoe to the other.
Shoes and getting shoes that fit properly is one of the easiest and quickest ways to help yourself. Reducing pressure on the forefoot is going to be the primary cause of a Morton’s neuroma so reducing that pressure is part of the long term solution.

Other episodes you might find useful:

 

Stress Fractures: Episode 43

Foot & Ankle Health with Dr. Mohammad Rimawi: Episode 40

Plantar Fasciitis: Episode 11

Ankle Sprain_Inversion Type: Episode 3

 

Sciatica: Episode 34

  • In this episode: We cover Sciatica as it relates to the general population as well as during pregnancy. We also touch on piriformis syndrome and what “double crush” is.

  • Chip Review: Calbee Seaweed & Salt Potato Chips, Huge thank you again to Steve Kovisto

  • Trivia question of the week: What 2 US states have their own time zones?

  • Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.

  • Thanks for listening!!

In this episode we are going to go over sciatica and will be reviewing the Calbee Seaweed & Salt Potato Chip.
Sciatica, typically people have low back pain and pain in the buttocks. Pain can then extend into the knee or as far as the foot. Following the path of the sciatic nerve distribution. Sciatica affects men and women pretty much equally. It does not have an age range that is really prevalent. You kind of see it across the age ranges. Something that crops up during pregnancy, we will get into sciatica and pregnancy a little later in the episode.
The biggest cause for sciatica is a herniated disk, also nerve root irritation or compression on the nerve. Imaging can be helpful but it does not tell you the whole story. If you have sciatica symptoms and they take an x-ray or MRI and they see something. Don’t panic, don’t freak out. The chances that what is there having just shown up are pretty darn low. Occasionally there can be trauma and sciatic can follow that. But most of the time or a lot of the time this is something that is non-irritable for a period of time. Then something happens and you have symptoms.
There is this thing called “double crush” syndrome. Which means that if you have irritation of the nerve anywhere in your body. But it is not enough to have symptoms. Then you get a second irritation somewhere else along that nerve. Now you get symptoms. With sciatica this is often at the piriformis muscle. Which is right in the center of your buttocks.

Other episodes you might find useful:

 

Upper and Lower Extremity Posture: Episode 8

 

Low Back Pain: Episode14

Hip Pain: Episode 15

Radicular Pain: Episode 22

Greater Trochanteric Bursitis: Episode 28

Pain: Episode 29

 

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