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May 24, 2013
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Lumbar Laminectomy (cont.)

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When to Seek Medical Care

  • Call your surgeon or doctor if you have any of these symptoms:
    • Drainage from the incision
    • Redness at the incision
    • If stitches or staples come out
    • The bandage becomes soaked with blood
    • Fever over 100.4 F
    • Increasing pain or numbness in your legs, back, or buttocks
    • Inability to urinate
    • Loss of control of bladder or bowels, with loss of urine or stool, or both
    • Pain, swelling, or redness in one of your legs
    • A severe headache
    • If you have any other questions about the way you are recovering
  • Go to the hospital's emergency department immediately if you develop any of these conditions:
    • Sudden shortness of breath, which may or may not be accompanied by pain in the chest. This could be a sign of pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lungs), pneumonia, or other heart and lung problems.
    • If you lose control of your bowel or bladder, or if you are unable to urinate
    • If you are unable to move your legs (This is a serious sign of spinal cord or nerve compression.)

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Lumbar Laminectomy - Recovery

The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:

What was the recovery period for your lumbar laminectomy?

Chronic Pain/Back Pain

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Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape

Lumbar Degenerative Disk Disease »

Descriptions of treatment for low back pain (LBP) date to Hippocrates (460-370 BCE), who reported joint manipulation and use of traction.

Read More on Medscape Reference »


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