What is decompressive surgery for spine?

Decompression: The disc in between the vertebrae have the consistency of a jelly donut. The contents can herniate through the outer border and compress the nerves of the spine. A decompression is done to remove the contents in the spinal canal to relieve the compression off of the nerve.

This means that the : Contents of the spine's canal (nerve tissue) is being pinched and needs to be freed by removing whatever may be compressing it which could be. A disc herniation, tumor, arthritic changes, blood clot or the canal was just too small to begin with. The most common way to do this is by removing a portion of the "roof" of the spine or lamina & is called a laminectomy. There are other approaches too.

Removal: In decompressive spine surgery, materials that are "pinching" on the nerves are removed, which basically frees up or decompresses the nerves with the goal of improving pain and function typically for a patient with spinal stenosis.

Pressure relief: A spine "decompression" is the surgical procedure in which the structures compressing the nerve roots, spinal cord or thecal sac are removed. A decompression involves resection of the spinous process, lamina, parts of the facet joints, and may include surgical resection of disc material at the level of compression. Decompressions are often accompanied by fusions which help make the spine stiff.