Post-laminectomy failed back. Review of Literature and management

Out of 66 patients with previous laminectomy, 26 with post laminectomy failed back syndrome were included in this study. Five had severe low back pain, ten had low back pain with claudicating pain in legs and 11 had low back pain and radicular pain in legs. It was concluded that patients in whom treatment for back pain had failed were frequently severely disabled and represented enormous cost. The study demonstrated that operative correction of failed back syndrome can result in a decrease in symptoms and can restore patients in a functional lifestyle in reasonable percentage. Also, outcome of repeated surgery of lumbar spine was not related to number of previous operations but to nature of these operations