Concierge spinal surgery · UK
Laminectomy — spinal decompression, by a consultant surgeon.
Removal of the vertebral lamina to take pressure off the cord or nerve roots — for lumbar spinal stenosis, cervical myelopathy, cauda equina and more. With the least-destructive option on the table before you commit.
Why patients choose us
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A consultant spinal surgeon, in theatre
A named neurosurgeon or spinal orthopaedic surgeon — not a rotating trainee — with a spinal theatre and image guidance.
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Less-destructive options considered first
Laminotomy, foraminotomy, MIS tubular decompression — we lay out what preserves the most bone before you commit to a wide laminectomy.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private laminectomy costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner spinal units. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three surgeons.
In short
A single-level lumbar laminectomy in our network: £8,000–£12,000, home in 1–2 nights.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Inpatient stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-level lumbar laminectomy | £8,000–£12,000 | 60–120 min | 1–2 nights |
| Multi-level lumbar laminectomy | £11,000–£16,000 | 90–180 min | 2–3 nights |
| Cervical laminectomy or laminoplasty | £12,000–£18,000 | 120–180 min | 2–3 nights |
| Laminectomy + instrumented fusion | £15,000–£25,000 | 180–300 min | 3–5 nights |
| MIS tubular laminectomy (single level) | £9,000–£13,000 | 90–150 min | 1–2 nights |
| Consultation + MRI review | £300–£600 | 45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by hospital, by surgeon, by how many levels are involved, and by whether instrumented fusion is added. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right surgeon, the right levels, the least-destructive option.
Laminectomy is a common operation done well by many, but the wrong levels, the wrong technique or the wrong patient turns it into years of trouble. We fix all three before you commit.
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Not sure surgery is needed?
Physio, weight loss and an epidural steroid injection often buy months of comfort. We say so before you agree to theatre.
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Worried about losing bone?
Laminotomy, laminoplasty and MIS tubular decompression preserve more anatomy — we lay out the options with the surgeon.
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Want a real answer on results?
Honest figures on symptom improvement, recurrence and long-term instability — not a sales pitch.
The journey
From enquiry to physio-led rehab — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the recovery weeks that follow.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
Admission through to HDU or ward
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Leg pain on walking, weakness, numbness, bladder or bowel change, and how long it has been going on.
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Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether an MRI, standing X-ray or nerve study is needed first, which surgeon fits the pathology, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
We arrange consultation and imaging
Usually within one to two weeks. Any blood thinners are reviewed with the team — never stopped without advice — and pre-op bloods are booked.
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On the day
Admission and anaesthetic
Admission on the morning of surgery, consent with the surgeon, and general anaesthetic with the consultant anaesthetist.
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On the day
The decompression itself
60 to 180 minutes, prone on a Wilson or Jackson frame, image-guided, with meticulous removal of the lamina and ligamentum flavum to free the cord or nerve roots.
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On the day
HDU or ward overnight
A short recovery, then a ward or HDU bed for one to three nights depending on levels and any fusion.
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After
Physio-led rehab and review
Mobilise day one, physio for core and hip flexibility, driving at two to four weeks, office work at two to six, gym light at six and heavy at twelve.
Typical end-to-end: 2–3 weeks from enquiry to surgery. Return to full activity: 6–12 weeks.
When it helps
When laminectomy is the right step.
The pathologies we see most, plus the red flag that means A&E rather than a clinic booking.
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Lumbar spinal stenosis
Neurogenic claudication — leg pain and pins-and-needles on walking, relieved by sitting or bending forward — after three months of physio, weight loss, analgesia and epidural steroid injections.
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Cervical stenosis with myelopathy
Progressive clumsy hands, unsteady gait or bladder change from cord compression — an urgent decompression to protect neurological function.
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Cauda equina syndrome
Saddle numbness, urinary retention, bilateral leg weakness — an emergency. Decompression within 24 to 48 hours gives the best outcome.
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Central disc prolapse compressing cord
A large central disc pressing on the cord or cauda equina, often combined with a discectomy at the same sitting.
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Spinal tumour resection
Metastatic or primary tumour compressing the cord or roots — laminectomy gives access for resection and decompression.
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Post-traumatic cord compression
Bone fragments or haematoma from a spinal injury pressing on the cord — decompression alongside stabilisation.
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Epidural abscess or infection
A pus collection in the spinal canal — laminectomy is the drainage route, with antibiotics and microbiology afterwards.
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Red flag: cauda equina symptoms
New saddle numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or bilateral leg weakness is a same-day A&E emergency — not a clinic booking.
Procedure options
Wide laminectomy is not the only option.
What each variant actually involves — and which fits which pathology.
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Open laminectomy (single-level)
The standard bilateral removal of one lamina to decompress the canal. Reliable, well understood, quick to recover from for the right patient.
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Hemi-laminectomy
A unilateral approach when the compression is one-sided — preserves more bone and reduces post-op instability.
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Laminotomy
A small window through the lamina rather than removing it — less destabilising, often used when the pathology is focal.
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Cervical laminoplasty
An expansion of the cervical lamina rather than removal — protects motion and reduces the risk of post-laminectomy kyphosis. Increasingly the cervical standard.
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MIS tubular laminectomy
A muscle-sparing approach through a tubular retractor (METRx, Quadrant, MaXcess) — smaller wound, less blood loss, faster mobilisation.
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Foraminotomy at the same sitting
Widening the nerve-root exit hole when lateral recess or foraminal stenosis is contributing — see /treatments/foraminotomy.
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Decompression + instrumented fusion
Bilateral multi-level decompression plus pedicle screws and rods — reserved for stenosis with instability, listhesis or deformity.
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Consultation only
An honest MRI review with a consultant spinal surgeon — including whether surgery is the right step at all.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of spinal surgeons, we picked them.
Consultant neurosurgeons and spinal orthopaedic surgeons across London, Manchester, Birmingham and beyond. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every spinal surgeon in our network.
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Consultant neurosurgeons or spinal orthopaedic surgeons — not trainees
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Image guidance or fluoroscopy for every case
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MIS and laminoplasty options offered where appropriate
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Direct access to HDU, physio-led rehab and imaging follow-up
Safety and recovery
What can go wrong, and how likely it is — honestly.
Laminectomy is a well-worn operation, but it is not risk-free. These are the real complication rates and the red flags to watch for at home.
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Dural tear happens in three to eight per cent
The dura — the membrane around the cord — can tear during decompression. It is repaired at the time with sutures or a patch. Occasionally a lumbar drain or bed-rest is needed for a CSF leak.
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Nerve root injury is uncommon
A serious nerve root injury occurs in one to three per cent — usually transient, occasionally permanent. Image guidance and a careful surgeon keep this rate low.
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Incomplete decompression can happen
If not enough bone or ligament is removed, symptoms persist. This is why level selection and imaging review beforehand matter.
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Instability and kyphosis over years
Wide multi-level laminectomy — especially cervical — can lead to slow-onset kyphosis or instability. Laminoplasty and MIS approaches reduce this.
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Wound infection sits at two to five per cent
Most respond to antibiotics; a deep infection may need a theatre washout, and if metalwork is present it is occasionally removed.
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Haematoma is rare but time-critical
A collection of blood pressing on the cord after surgery is a surgical emergency — sudden new weakness needs same-day imaging and, if confirmed, evacuation.
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DVT, PE and cardiac events in the elderly
Standard prone-position surgery risks — TED stockings, early mobilisation and, where indicated, chemical thromboprophylaxis reduce them.
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Post-laminectomy syndrome is a real thing
Some patients have persistent back or leg pain despite anatomically successful surgery — pain-team input and pacing help; realistic expectations beforehand help most.
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Red flags after discharge
New or worsening leg weakness, saddle numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, spreading wound redness, fever or clear fluid leaking from the wound — call the team or A&E the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Levels operated and technique chosen
Which vertebral levels were decompressed — for example L3 to L5 — and whether it was laminectomy, laminotomy, laminoplasty or MIS tubular.
- 02 Technique
Bone and ligament removed, image guidance
Whether bilateral or unilateral, how much lamina and ligamentum flavum was taken, and whether fluoroscopy or navigation was used.
- 03 Findings
Dural status, root freedom, any fusion
Whether the dura was intact, how well the nerve roots or cord were decompressed, and whether pedicle screws or rods were added.
- 04 Impression
Recovery plan and red flags to watch
Read this first: mobilisation plan, when to drive, when to return to work, and the specific symptoms that mean you should call the team.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for laminectomy is usually confirmed when medically indicated, subject to your policy excess and any pre-authorisation. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about laminectomy.
Quick answers on when surgery is right, how it differs from discectomy and foraminotomy, cost, recovery and honest complication rates.
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What is a laminectomy?
A laminectomy removes the lamina — the bony roof of the spinal canal — to take pressure off the spinal cord or nerve roots. It is the standard operation for lumbar spinal stenosis and for cervical myelopathy from cord compression.
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How is a laminectomy different from a discectomy or foraminotomy?
A discectomy removes a prolapsed disc, a foraminotomy widens the nerve-root exit hole, and a laminectomy removes the roof of the canal. They are often combined — for example, a laminectomy with a foraminotomy for lateral recess stenosis.
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When is laminectomy the right operation?
For lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication that has not settled after three months of physio, weight loss, analgesia and epidural steroid injection; for cervical stenosis with myelopathy; for cauda equina syndrome as an emergency; and for tumour, trauma or epidural abscess.
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How much does a private laminectomy cost in the UK?
Roughly £8,000 to £12,000 for a single-level lumbar laminectomy, £11,000 to £16,000 for multi-level, £12,000 to £18,000 for cervical laminectomy or laminoplasty, and £15,000 to £25,000 if instrumented fusion is added. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
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How long is the recovery?
Mobilising day one, oral analgesia, physio-led rehab. Driving at two to four weeks, back to office work at two to six weeks depending on the job, no heavy lifting for six to eight weeks, gym light at six weeks and heavy training at twelve.
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How good are the results?
Around 70 to 90 per cent of well-selected patients with neurogenic claudication or myelopathy have meaningful symptom improvement. Recurrent stenosis affects 10 to 20 per cent over five to ten years and may need re-operation.
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What are the risks?
The main ones are dural tear (3–8%), nerve root injury (1–3%), wound infection (2–5%), incomplete decompression, post-laminectomy instability or kyphosis over years, haematoma, DVT or PE, and — rarely from prone positioning — visual loss.
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When should I go to A&E rather than book a consultation?
New saddle numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, bilateral leg weakness, sudden inability to walk, or progressive weakness with cord signs are all reasons for same-day A&E. Cauda equina syndrome and acute cord compression are surgical emergencies.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Foraminotomy
Widening the nerve-root exit hole — narrower focus on the foramen.
Learn more -
Endoscopic discectomy
Minimally invasive removal of a prolapsed disc.
Learn more -
Discectomy
Open or microscopic removal of a herniated disc.
Learn more -
Excision of spinal tumour
Surgical resection of primary or metastatic spinal tumours.
Learn more