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65th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

11 - 14 May 2014, Dresden

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Treatment of degenerative spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis by decompression and implantation of LimiFlex paraspinous tension band: Results of one year follow-up

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  • Andreas M. Frank - Neurochirurgische Praxis, München

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 65. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC). Dresden, 11.-14.05.2014. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2014. DocP 141

doi: 10.3205/14dgnc536, urn:nbn:de:0183-14dgnc5367

Published: May 13, 2014

© 2014 Frank.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Objective: Treatment of degenerative spinal stenosis in combination with spondylolisthesis ranges from conservative over “decompression only” to 360° fusion. Since 2011 a new device LimiFlex, a para-spinous tension band (Simpirica Spine Inc.) which does not require pedicle screw insertion is abvailable, thus making the operative procedure much less invasive. The aim of this prospective study is to assess improvement of leg and back pain over the period of 36 months. Now the 12 months results are presented.

Method: From May 2012 up to now 34 patients with spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis were operated by the author performing microsurgial decompression and insertion of Li- Flex at the level of olisthesis. Actually 19 patients have completed one year follow-up. Oswestry DisabilityIndex (ODI), visual analogue scale back pain (VAS-B), leg pain (VAS-L) were obtained and compared with preoperative recordings.

Results: There was no device related complication seen. Improvement of ODI was in mean 24,9 pt., reduction of VAS-B 4,79 and VAS-L 5,02. 82,4% of all patients rated their regained quality of life as excellent or good. Reduction of back pain was constant over the postoperative period. Radiographs in flexion and retroflexion were obtained showing no progressive slip in all cases.

Conclusions: Decompression and implantation of LimiFlex is a safe and quick procedure. It avoids all complications related to pedicle screw instrumentation. One year results show good and stable improvement of back and leg pain. However more studies comparing the long-term results of different techniques are necessary.