Medical Specialty:
Neurosurgery

Sample Name: Laminectomy & Discectomy & Facetectomy


Description: Revision laminectomy L5-S1, discectomy L5-S1, right medial facetectomy, preparation of disk space and arthrodesis with interbody graft with BMP. Status post previous lumbar surgery for herniated disk with severe recurrence of axial back pain, failed conservative therapy.
(Medical Transcription Sample Report)


TITLE OF OPERATION: Revision laminectomy L5-S1, discectomy L5-S1, right medial facetectomy, preparation of disk space and arthrodesis with interbody graft with BMP.

INDICATIONS FOR SURGERY: Please refer to medical record, but in short, the patient is a 43-year-old male known to me, status post previous lumbar surgery for herniated disk with severe recurrence of axial back pain, failed conservative therapy. Risks and benefits of surgery were explained in detail including risk of bleeding, infection, stroke, heart attack, paralysis, need for further surgery, hardware failure, persistent symptoms, and death. This list was inclusive, but not exclusive. An informed consent was obtained after all patient's questions were answered.

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Severe lumbar spondylosis L5-S1, collapsed disk space, hypermobility, and herniated disk posteriorly.

POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Severe lumbar spondylosis L5-S1, collapsed disk space, hypermobility, and herniated disk posteriorly.

ANESTHESIA: General anesthesia and endotracheal tube intubation.

DISPOSITION: The patient to PACU with stable vital signs.

PROCEDURE IN DETAIL: The patient was taken to the operating room. After adequate general anesthesia with endotracheal tube intubation was obtained, the patient was placed prone on the Jackson table. Lumbar spine was shaved, prepped, and draped in the usual sterile fashion. An incision was carried out from L4 to S1. Hemostasis was obtained with bipolar and Bovie cauterization. A Weitlaner was placed in the wound and a subperiosteal dissection was carried out identifying the lamina of L4, L5, and sacrum. At this time, laminectomy was carried out of L5-S1. Thecal sac was retracted rightward and the foramen was opened and unilateral medial facetectomy was carried out in the disk space. At this time, the disk was entered with a #15 blade and bipolar. The disk was entered with straight up and down-biting pituitaries, curettes, and the high speed drill and we were able to takedown calcified herniated disk. We were able to reestablish the disk space, it was very difficult, required meticulous dissection and then drilling with a diamond bur in the disk space underneath the spinal canal, very carefully holding the spinal canal out of harm's way as well as the exiting nerve root. Once this was done, we used rasps to remove more disk material anteriorly and under the midline to the left side and then we put in interbody graft of BMP 8 mm graft from Medtronic. At this time, Dr. X will dictate the posterolateral fusion, pedicle screw fixation to L4 to S1 with compression and will dictate the closure of the wound. There were no complications.


Keywords: neurosurgery, revision laminectomy, discectomy, facetectomy, arthrodesis, lumbar spondylosis, hypermobility, collapsed disk space, medial facetectomy, interbody graft, herniated disk, interbody, laminectomy, disk, therapy, lumbar, herniated, space,