Interspinous process decompression, or IPD, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an implant is placed between the

spinous processes The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic i ...

of the symptomatic disc levels. IPD's were developed for patients who have

lumbar spinal stenosis Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the nerves and blood vessels at the level of the lumbar vertebrae. Spinal stenosis may also affect the cervical or thoracic region, in which case ...

, suffer symptoms of neurogenic intermittent claudication, and who are able to relieve their symptoms when they bend forward or flex their spines. These devices are designed to limit pathologic extension of the spinal segments and maintain them in a neutral or slightly flexed position, which may allow patients to resume their normal posture rather than flex the entire spine to gain symptom relief.

References

{{Reflist Orthopedic surgical procedures