Lamina: The posterior portion of a vertebra,
behind the spinal canal.
Laminectormy: Removal of all or part of the
posterior part of the vertebra.
Laminoplasty: Reshaping of the posterior
part of the vertebra.
Laryngeal mask: A type of general anesthesia
in which the tube does not pass through the vocal cords; this
reduces the risk of vocal cord injury and it is useful for
some shorter operations.
Larynx: the voice box.
Laser dicoplasty: Reduction of the size of
a disc by placement of a laser into the disc and evaporation
of disc tissue.
Lateral: To the side.
Lateral mass screws: Instrumentation for
the cervical spine, that is directed throught the lateral
posterior part of the vertebra.
Lateral recess stenosis: Marrowing of the
lateral corner of the spinal canal, typically in the lumbar
spine causing nerve root entrapment inside the spinal canal.
Lateral X-ray: An X-ray taken from the side,
showing the vertebrae in profile.
Ligamentum flavum: A yellow elastic ligament
between the lamina of the vertebrae.
Light emitting diode (LED): An electronic
component that emits light when current is passed through
it.
Lipomyelomeningocele: A fatty collection
at the base of the spinal canal, associated with a congenital
abnormality.
Listhesis: Slippage.
Load bearing: A construction of screws and
rods used to fixate vertebrae for a spinal fusion in which
the components are capable of supporting much of the weight
of the body.
Load sharing: A construction of screws and
rods used to fixate vertebrae for a spinal fusion in which
the components are flexible enough to allow part of the weight
of the body to be supported by the vetebral fusion implant.
Local anesthetic: A medication of that stops
all sensation at the site where it is injected.
Long tracts: The axon fibers of nerve cells
running from the cerebral cortex to the parts of the spinal
cord.
Lumbar: The low back between the thoracic
region and the sacral region.
Lumbar drain: A catheter placed into the
dural sac in the lumbar region to divert or drain cerebrospinal
fluid.
Lumbar puncture: Passing a needle into the
dural sac in the lumbar region to drain or remove fluid or
to introduce dye for a myelogram.
Lumbosacral plexus: The collection of nerve
elements in the pelvis situated between the lumbar and sacral
spine that feed into it and the sciatic, femoral and other
leg nerves that lead away from it.
Lysis: Separation or destruction, depending
on its use in the medical term.
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