Cervical laminectomy is a procedure to treat spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a condition where there is narrowing of the spinal canal and often the neural foramen that causes compression of the spinal cord and/or nerve roots.The back of the spinal canal is removed by cutting the lamina to provide more space for the spinal cord and nerve roots.

By relieving pressure on the spinal cord it is the goal of cervical laminectomy to stop the progression of damage to the spinal cord and allow for as much recovery of function as possible.