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54. Jahrestagung der Norddeutschen Orthopädenvereinigung e. V.

Norddeutsche Orthopädenvereinigung

16.06. bis 18.06.2005, Hamburg

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Clinical results of operative therapy of symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis

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  • corresponding author F. König - Universitätsklinikum Göttingen, Orthopädie, Göttingen
  • T. Ernstberger - Göttingen
  • J. Feldmann - Göttingen
  • K. Thielke-Neitzel - Göttingen

Norddeutsche Orthopädenvereinigung. 54. Jahrestagung der Norddeutschen Orthopädenvereinigung e.V.. Hamburg, 16.-18.06.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. Doc05novP22

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/nov2005/05nov073.shtml

Published: June 13, 2005

© 2005 König et al.
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

Text

Claudicatio spinalis caused by spinal stenosis and reproduced by MRI or myelography is an indication for spinal decompression or - in case of instability - combined with spinal fusion.

Between 1997 and 2001, 74 patients with symptomatic spinal stenosis were operated. In a retrospective study we examined 58 of these patients clinically and radiologically. The patients were

devided into two groups. In the first group (46 patients) we performed spinal fusion combined with spinal decompression due to lumbar instability. The second group (12 patients) was treated by spinal decompression exclusively. The clinical outcome was evaluated by Oswestry Score. The pain was analysed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

In the spinal fusion group the Oswestry Score improved from 31,50 preoperatively to 22,77 postoperatively, in the spinal decompression group from 29.06 to 17,77.

In the spinal fusion group the VAS improved from 8 preoperatively to 4 postoperatively, in the decompression group from 8 preop to 3 postop.

Under correct indication for spinal decompression and spinal fusion we got comparable good results in both groups. There was a significant improvement of Oswestry Score and VAS postoperatively. Under the same conditions 75 % of all patients would undergo the same surgical procedure again.