A laminectomy usually requires a stay in a hospital. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and your doctor's practices.
A laminectomy may be done while you are asleep under general anesthesia. Or it may be done while you are awake under spinal anesthesia. If spinal anesthesia is used, you will have no feeling from your waist down. Newer techniques are being developed that may allow a laminectomy to be done under local anesthesia as an outpatient. Your doctor will discuss this with you in advance.

Generally, a laminectomy follows this process:

1. You will be asked to remove clothing and will be given a gown to wear.
2. An IV (intravenous) line may be started in your arm or hand.
3. Once you are under anesthesia, a urinary drainage catheter may be inserted.
4. If the surgical site is covered with extra hair, the hair may be clipped off.
5. You will be positioned either on your side or belly on the operating table.
6. The anesthesiologist will continuously watch your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and blood oxygen level during the surgery.
7. The healthcare staff will clean the skin over the surgical site with an antiseptic solution.
8. The surgeon will make a cut (incision) over the selected vertebra.
9. The surgeon will spread the muscles apart.
10. The surgeon removes the bony arch of the posterior part of the vertebra (lamina) to ease the pressure on the nerves in the area. This may involve removing bone spurs or growths, or removing all or part of a disk.
11. In some cases, spinal fusion may be done at the same time. During a spinal fusion, the surgeon will connect 2 or more bones in your spine.
12. The incision will be closed with stitches or surgical staples.
13. A sterile bandage or dressing will be applied.