When no other fragments could be removed from the disk space, no other fragments were felt in the central canal under the longitudinal ligament, and a Murphy ball could be passed through the foramen without evidence of compression, the decompression was complete. 
When no other fragments could be removed from the disk space , no other fragments were felt in the central canal under the longitudinal ligament , and a Murphy ball could be passed through the foramen without evidence of compression , the decompression was complete .