RESUMO
Lumber spinal canal stenosis is an important cause of lower backache and /or sciatica, which result in significant disability. The aim of this paper is to report our experience with the different patterns of clinical presentation of degenerative lumbar spinal canal stenosis [DLSS] and the correlation of MRI finding with the clinical presentation. During the period from January 2004 to January 2008, a total of 100 patients were observed at the Neurosurgical Hospital of Baghdad, who were complaining of lower backache and/or sciatica. The pattern of clinical presentation was analyzed to determine the possible correlations with the different MRI findings. Age ranged between 22-71 years, the highest proportion of patients was between 50-59 years age with predominance of male sex [56 male and 44 women]. The most common clinical presentation was intermittent neurogenic claudication [in 52% of our patients] and more common among elderly patients or patients having multilevel stenosis, while radiculopathy symptom was more common among young patients or patients having single level stenosis. Chronic cauda equine syndrome was uncommon pattern of presentation with bladder function most seriously affected function. L4-5 was the most frequently involved level followed by L3-4 and then L5-S1. Multilevel stenosis with involvement of central canal and lateral recess at the same time was the most common MRI pattern. The cause of stenosis in majority of our patients was combination of disc degeneration, facet and ligaments hypertrophy, osteophytes and in some patients was spondylolisthesis