Did anyone lose feeling leg after laminectomy surgery?

@wzinck - Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. A great place to ask questions and gather useful information.

I lost leg feeling before my lumbar surgeries which was the primary driver for me to have the work done. Immediately afterwards, there was significant pain and discomfort in my legs (thigh mostly) as long-pinched nerves "reawakened". It was challenging at times. I did not take any specialized nerve medication.

I am now 15 months post-surgery and my leg is 90% "normal" with only slight feelings of numbness and little discomfort. I never saw a marked improvement attributable to PT. The passage of time seems to be the best "cure" in my case.

When did you have your surgery? What leg issues are you now dealing with? Did you have full feeling in your leg before surgery?

Thanks and that’s great it worked for you. My friend had laminectomy surgery he did have one leg that was somewhat numb before but now no feeling. Wondering if he will ever be able to walk again.

@wzinck Something to understand about surgery is that it increases inflammation A LOT. Inflammation is part of the healing process after trauma. The problem that you have before surgery that is being caused by compression and inflammation, can continue to have some of the same symptoms even though the surgery has decompressed that problem. Inflammation escalates at about 3 days after surgery and can go on for awhile. A member I was communicating with here was having the symptoms for about 6 weeks after cervical surgery, and then it started getting better and she was improving to better than before the surgery as expected. If your friend is early in the post surgery timeline, it may be too early to tell. The surgeon would be able to comment on what is an expected condition at this time, and what recovery may be possible. Surgeons don't want to promise a lot because they can't know exactly how well a patient will recover. There is a lot that goes into that with the determination and work at rehab by the patient, and treatment like physical therapy when it is appropriate.

Thank you! He is on day 61 post surgery.

I am interested in knowing if your leg pain went away with time without any intervention.I had a laminectomy and 2 additional surgeries over a year and a half ago and still have excruciating pain in my right thigh from pinched nerves in scar tissue. I have had an ablation with no results and just had a spinal stimulator implanted. It's been six weeks and no change yet.

@kburt911
What levels did you have laminectomy and what were your 2 other surgeries? Which nerves/levels are compressed with scar tissue? Did you do PT after your surgeries once you were able? Are you more prone for keloid scar tissue with cuts/incisions and did the surgeon mention what can be done with extra scar tissue causing the compression?

I am 6 days post op on my lumbar spine. I had decompression and fusion of L3-L5 levels. I tend to get keloid scar tissue with cuts/incisions so I will want to ask my surgeon what happens if there is a build up of scar tissue. My understanding is I may have PT after I heal and when I’m able to start exercising.

Prior to surgery, I had pain, numbness and weakness in lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet. I was told I had severe stenosis, disc bulges, and neurogenic claudication. I am now taking lots of pain medications and anti-inflammatory meds. The day of surgery and a few days afterwards, I was in significant pain and my right top of foot/big toe and 2 adjacent toes were numb. This has improved in 6 days. Pain is my main symptom now. Once my pain and inflammation subsides, I will be curious what symptoms have improved, what has stayed the same and if I have any new or worsening symptoms. Btw…I am a 55 year old female with a congenitally narrow spinal canal to begin with.

My understanding is surgery to decompress can reawaken and regenerate nerves which can cause some new symptoms for a period of time. New blood flow and brain/central nervous system reconnecting with the compressed nerves may be uncomfortable for a period until everything stabilizes to the new normal. It also takes a while for fusions to fully solidify. It is really important to not twist/bend/lift anything over 10 lbs to allow healing and fusion to occur. I was told my recovery will be 3 months but it can take a full 6 months to 12 months to heal. I am using a grabber, walker, cane, wiping tool when using the toilet so I don’t twist, a bed assist bar to log roll in bed so I don’t twist, etc.

Did you have an EMG and myelogram to help narrow down which nerves are being compressed and causing pain in your thigh? Can the scar tissue be removed to help alleviate pressure on your nerves causing you pain?

@wzinck
Did they have your friend get up and walk a little after surgery? They made me do it to go to the bathroom and it was very painful. Was your friend able to get up to go to the bathroom? Is your friend able to stand at all and put weight on their leg now 2 months post op? If your friend is not able to, I am surprised the surgeon would not say anything about this. I just had surgery 6 days ago on L3-L5 (decompression and fusion). It was an invasive surgery where they needed to cut through muscle and despite significant pain, they made me get up to go to the bathroom later in the day post surgery. I was able to put weight on my legs even if very painful. Prior to surgery, I had lower back/hip/buttock/thigh/foot pain, weakness and numbness bilaterally.

Did your friend have post op appointments 2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months? What did the surgeon say to your friend about the leg numbness? I have follow up appointments and told it will take 3 months to heal and up to 6 months to 12 months to fully heal/fuse. It is so important not to twist/bend while healing and to log roll when getting into and out of bed. I am using grippers and a bed assist bar to help me reduce twisting/bending. Did your friend do anything to twist or bend that is causing their symptoms? Did they fall post surgery?

I had L1, L2 and .L3 done along with opening the hole where the stenosis was and the shaved down my tailbone. I did do PT after surgery. I did great for about 4 months until I put weight on my right leg it would shoot a pain up through my thigh. As time went I had thigh pain constantly. Like a burning hot knife being jammed into my leg. The surgeon did another MRI and saw my L4 and L5 became compressed. So we did surgery again. It did not help but was told that it takes time for nerves to calm down. Started PT but it hurt so bad that the therapist didn't want to keep doing it. My pain still continued and the surgeon went in again even though he said I shouldn't be having this severe pain. He then consulted with a pain specialist and determined I have degenerative arthritis which would explain the lower back pain. Both doctors determined that the pain has to be coming from a build up of scar tissue and as time goes by scar turns hard like bone and must pinched a nerve or two. The only way to correct it would be another surgery to repair.at the time I couldn't imagine doing another surgery so I opted for pain management to try and get relief. I had nerve blocks, ablation, epidurals and lastly a spinal stimulator implanted a few weeks ago. I haven't had any relief. I am 69 and not ready for a wheelchair which is what I have been in for the past several months. I live just outside the city of Chicago and have an appointment at Northwestern Hospital to see if anything can be done. Next month I am going to have an updated MRI and then see a neurosurgeon. I am tired of living on pain pills and nerve pills.

@kburt911
Have you seen a neurologist for EMG/nerve conduction studies/myelogram to narrow down which nerves are causing you problems?

After I have my MRI next month they will review my scan and decide which neurosurgeon would be best to handle my situation. My current neurosurgeon said he wouldn't do another surgery until I had an EMG. I was just so sick of being cut and poked that I opted to try the pain clinic route which appears to be coming to and end as the spinal stimulator doesn't seem to be working. I bump the stimulator up 3 points every 3 days. I don't feel the increase but obviously it is doing something as the next day I had pain in different areas. Today has been the worst day as I can't stand up straight without pain going down my leg.