Glossary

GLOSSARY FOR SOUTHWEST SCOLIOSIS AND SPINE INSTITUTE

Anterior – Refers to the front part of the body, often used to describe the position of one structure relative to another.

Decompression– A procedure performed to alleviate pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, which can be caused by narrowing, fracture fragments, disc fragments, bone spurs, tumors, or infections.

Decompression Laminectomy (or laminectomy) – A posterior approach to decompression, involving the removal of the lamina (bone) to provide more space for the spinal cord or nerve roots.

Disc Degeneration – The process of losing fluid content, structure, and functional integrity in the intervertebral disc, typically due to aging.

Discectomy – The surgical removal of part of a herniated intervertebral disc that is bulging or ruptured through the ligaments. This condition is often referred to as a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP).

Facet or Facet Joint – The part of the vertebra that connects with the next vertebra, facilitating spinal motion. Each pair of adjacent vertebrae has a left and right facet joint.

Foramen – An opening or exit between two vertebrae for the spinal nerve roots.

Foraminotomy – A surgical procedure to enlarge the foramen to relieve pressure on the nerve root, often performed along with a discectomy. The foramen can become narrowed due to disc impingement or collapse.

Internal Fixation – The use of instrumentation (screws, rods, etc.) to stabilize part of the spine and promote healing or fusion.

Intervertebral Disc – The shock-absorbing structure located between two vertebrae.

Lamina – A part of the vertebra that covers or protects the spinal canal.

Laminectomy – (See decompression laminectomy)

Lateral – Positioned away from the midline of the body, typically viewed from the side.

Lordosis – The normal mild curvature of the lumbar spine, often referred to as a “swayback” curve.

Lumbar Spine – Consists of five mobile segments in the lower back (L1 to L5), which are the largest vertebral segments, providing most of the bending and turning ability of the back and bearing most of the body’s weight.

Microdiscectomy – A discectomy procedure assisted by an operating microscope to enhance visualization.

MIS (Minimally Invasive Surgery) – A general term for surgical approaches that use muscle-sparing techniques to reduce trauma to surrounding tissues.

Nerve Root – The part of a spinal nerve near its origin from the spinal cord.

Pedicle – The part of the neural arch of a vertebra, often referenced in conjunction with screw placement (e.g., pedicle screws).

Posterior – Refers to the back side of the body or behind a structure.

Sacral Spine (Sacrum) – Comprises five fused segments of the lower spine that connect to the pelvis and have four foramina on each side.

Sciatica – A lay term describing pain along the course of the sciatic nerve, especially in the back of the thigh and below the knee.

Scoliosis – A lateral (sideways) curvature of the spine accompanied by the rotation of the vertebrae, resulting in rib cage asymmetry.

Spinal Canal – The long canal within the vertebral bodies that houses the spinal cord and nerves.

Spinal Stenosis – The reduction in the size of the spinal canal, usually due to arthritic overgrowth of bone and soft tissue, which can result in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots.

Spondylolisthesis – The forward slippage of one vertebra over another, causing misalignment of the spine and potentially leading to back pain and leg pain due to nerve root compression.

Vertebra – One of the 33 bones of the spinal column. A cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebra has a cylindrically shaped body in the front and a neural arch in the back (composed mainly of the laminae and pedicles, along with other structures in the posterior aspect of the vertebra) that protects the spinal cord. The plural of vertebra is vertebrae.

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The medical content on this page has been carefully reviewed. It was approved for accuracy by the Southwest Scoliosis and Spine Institute’s qualified healthcare professionals. This includes our board-certified physicians and Physician Assistants. Our team ensures that all information reflects the latest evidence-based practices and meets rigorous standards of medical accuracy, with oversight from our expert spine doctors to guarantee the reliability of our information for our patients.