What is MILD?

Mild or Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression is a procedure in which a device the diameter of a paper hole punch is inserted down to the spine to decompress the nerves being pinched by lumbar spinal stenosis. Lumbar Spinal Stenosis or LSS is a narrowing of the spinal canal which pinches the nerves causing low back, buttock, and leg pain, numbness, or heaviness with walking or standing for a short period. The symptoms usually resolve shortly after leaning forward or sitting. This is called Neurogenic Intermittent Claudication or NIC. It is a procedure for those who have failed conservative and injection therapies as well as a much less invasive (hence the term minimally invasive) step before considering a much more invasive spine surgery decompression.