Often the desired enlargement of the spinal canal and decompression of the pinched nerves is possible only with a surgical removal of protruding osteophytes. This used to be a complex surgery on the open spinal canal in the past where great parts of the vertebral arches and joints were removed (laminectomy). Modern minimally invasive techniques today allow for a very tissue-preserving intervention as nerves and blood vessels running through the spinal canal remain unhurt. With the aid of a surgical microscope greatly enlarging the operating field a removal of the narrowing structures to the nearest millimeter is feasible.