Abstract

Background: for years, the gold standard treatment of symptomatic lumbar canal stenosis refractory to conservative management is a facet preserving laminectomy. However, it has been suggested that extensive resection of the posterior bone, posterior ligaments and muscular structures led to increase postoperative pain, perioperative blood loss, complications and length of hospital stay. More recently, various authors have recommended surgical techniques that preserve posterior midline structures (i.e. spinous processes, vertebral arches, interspinous and supraspinous ligaments), as removal of these structures may contribute to instability after surgery. Objective: the purpose of our prospective study is to evaluate the surgical outcome of minimally invasive spinus process splitting approach in the treatment of lumbar canal stenosis. Patients and Methods: this prospective study included 20 patients that were operated in Al Azhar University Hospitals in the period between January 2017 and March 2018 via minimally invasive spinus process splitting approach in the lumbar canal senosis. Pre- and postoperatively disability and pain scores were measured by using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analog Score (VAS). Results: our statistical results revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the outcome between pre and postoperative after follow up period of 12 months regarding VAS for back pain and leg pain, postoperative ODI changes were significantly better. There was a significant decrease regarding operation time and postoperative hospital stay, blood loss and postoperative pain. Conclusion: so, the relevance of preservation of the posterior midline structures should be clarified in further studies.

Authors and Affiliations