Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment in Turkey
About Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Key Highlights
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Effective decompression of pinched spinal nerves to alleviate pain and numbness.Can significantly improve walking ability and overall mobility.Offers a long-term solution for symptoms unresponsive to conservative care.Modern techniques often allow for minimally invasive approaches with smaller incisions.Aims to restore independence and enhance quality of daily life.
Who is this surgery for?
- Persistent and severe pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs (neurogenic claudication) that worsens with walking or standing.
- Failure to improve after an adequate trial of non-surgical treatments like physical therapy, medications, or epidural steroid injections.
- Progressive neurological deficits, such as worsening leg weakness or loss of bowel/bladder control (cauda equina syndrome, a surgical emergency).
- Significant limitation in daily activities and reduced quality of life due to back and leg symptoms.
- Confirmed diagnosis of severe lumbar spinal stenosis via MRI or CT scan showing significant compression of the spinal canal or nerve roots.
How to prepare
- Complete a thorough medical evaluation, including blood tests, ECG, and imaging studies (MRI/CT).
- Discuss all current medications with your surgeon; you may need to temporarily stop blood thinners.
- Quit smoking well in advance of surgery to improve healing and reduce complication risks.
- Arrange for help at home during the initial recovery period for tasks like driving and chores.
- Follow pre-operative fasting instructions (typically no food or drink after midnight before surgery).
Risks & possible complications
- General surgical risks: Infection, bleeding, or adverse reaction to anesthesia.
- Nerve-related complications: Persistent numbness, weakness, or, rarely, new nerve damage.
- Spinal fluid leak (dural tear), which may require additional repair.
- Recurrence of symptoms or failure to relieve pain (failed back surgery syndrome).
- Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis), instability of the spine, or need for further surgery.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Hospital stay typically involves 1-3 days for monitoring, pain management, and initial mobility with assistance.
- Activity is gradually increased; walking is encouraged soon after surgery, but bending and lifting are restricted.
- Pain is managed with prescribed medications, which are tapered as healing progresses.
- Physical therapy is crucial, often starting a few weeks post-surgery, to strengthen back and core muscles.
- Full recovery and return to normal activities may take several weeks to a few months, depending on the procedure's extent and individual healing.
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Typical hospital stay:
2-4 days
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Expected recovery time:
6-12 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering lumbar spinal stenosis in Turkey, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for lumbar spinal stenosis in Turkey include Liv Hospital Ankara, Istinye Üniversitesi Hastanesi Liv, VM Medical Park Pendik Hastanesi, Medical Park Florya, Medical Park Bahçelievler, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform lumbar spinal stenosis. MediFyr helps you compare spine surgeons and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for lumbar spinal stenosis compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis in Turkey
These partner hospitals in Turkey have dedicated spine surgery teams and experience managing patients undergoing lumbar spinal stenosis.
Instabul, Turkey
140 Doctors
Robert Chopra, a 68-year-old retired civil...
Robert Chopra, a 68-year-old retired civil engineer, had always been active, enjoying long walks and gardening. Over the past three years, he developed worsening pain, numbness, and a heavy feeling in both legs, especially when standing or walking. He could only manage about 100 meters before having to stop and sit down. His world was shrinking. His spine surgeon diagnosed severe lumbar spinal stenosis after an MRI showed significant narrowing in his lower spine. The doctor recommended a lumbar laminectomy to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves. Robert was terrified of spine surgery but felt he had no quality of life left. The procedure went smoothly. After an initial period of soreness and careful movement, he began physical therapy. Within three months, he could walk for 30 minutes without pain. The relief was profound. Emotionally, he moved from a state of fear and resignation to one of gratitude and renewed vigor, thrilled to reclaim his independence and return to his garden.