The MILD procedure.
Minimally invasive lumbar decompression for stenosis.
A small-incision, image-guided procedure to remove excess ligamentum flavum tissue compressing the spinal canal in lumbar stenosis — no general anesthesia, no implant, no fusion.
Decompress without dismantling.
In lumbar spinal stenosis, the spinal canal narrows — most often from a thickened ligamentum flavum. The result is buttock and leg pain that worsens with walking and standing and improves with sitting and bending forward (neurogenic claudication). The MILD procedure removes a small amount of that ligamentum tissue through a tiny portal in the back, decompressing the canal without removing bone, placing any implant, or fusing any segment.
Fluoroscopic guidance, sedation, no general anesthesia.
You lie prone under conscious sedation with local anesthetic. Under live fluoroscopy, a small portal is placed through the skin into the targeted level. Specialized instruments remove small pieces of ligamentum flavum. There is no incision large enough to require sutures in most cases — the entry point closes with a bandage. The whole procedure is typically under an hour. Same-day discharge.
For neurogenic claudication from ligamentous stenosis.
MILD is appropriate for patients with imaging-confirmed lumbar spinal stenosis with hypertrophic ligamentum flavum as a contributing factor and a clinical picture of neurogenic claudication that has not responded to conservative care. It is not the right tool for bony stenosis without significant ligamentous component, or for patients who actually need formal decompression and fusion.
Walking distance often improves within weeks.
Light walking is encouraged the day after the procedure. Most patients can return to normal activity within a few days. Improvement in walking tolerance typically builds over four to eight weeks. We track walking distance pre- and post-procedure as the primary outcome metric. If MILD does not produce sufficient relief, more aggressive options remain on the table.
Stop accepting the downtime.
A small portal procedure that gives many patients back the ability to walk. Schedule a consultation at any Triumph location.