Foraminotomy
The foramen is the natural passage or tunnel between the vertebrae of the spine through which a nerve root exits from the spinal canal. When this foramen becomes narrowed, the nerve root can become irritated or dysfunctional. Removing bone and soft tissues to enlarge the passage for the nerve is called a foraminotomy. A foraminotomy is commonly performed as part of a decompression of the spinal canal. In some cases a foraminotomy may be performed from outside the canal and not involve any direct decompression of the central canal if the pressure is strictly on the nerve root. To perform this operation, specialized instruments are used to remove portions of bone.
