What is a Facet Arthrosis?  Spinal Stenosis? Spondylolisthesis? What does TOPS stand for? What's the difference between spinal fusion and motion preservation? This glossary provides a handy guide to commonly used terms in spinal surgery.

 

Decompression is the surgical removal of bony and soft tissues of the spine in order to eliminate anatomical elements that are pressing on nerve roots—creating significant pain and restriction of motion. 

 

Facet arthrosis is the inflammation and enlargement of the facet joints.

 

Motion Preservation is the alternative to spinal fusion, whereby surgeons can perform a decompression without having to fuse the spinal segment.  Motion Preservation technologies allow the recreation of motion at the operative level.

 

Spinal Fusion is the fixation of two adjacent vertebral bodies, using through the use of rigid rods and spinal cage.  This procedure is used to restore stability after a decompression of the spine to remove pain generators.  In addition to the loss of motion following fusion, the spondylodesis increases motion and stress at the adjacent segments by means of load transfer. This biomechanical phenomenon has the potential of accelerating adjacent level spine degeneration with the possible need for revision surgery. Obviously the alternative to such a suboptimal solution is a procedure that will address nerve root and cauda equina compression, abolish pain generators from facet osteoarthritis and restore rather than restrict physiologic lumbar spine motion.

 

Spinal Stenosis is a condition where compression of nerves produces symptoms of pain, numbness and tingling in the legs. Most cases of spinal stenosis occur in the low back (lumbar spine) and very often affect the sciatic nerve.

 

Spondylolisthesis is most commonly known as "slipped disc". It refers to abnormal and excessive movement of the vertebrae, causing pain in the low back and legs.