A Comparison of Clinical Outcomes between Decompressive Laminectomy Alone and with Arthrodesis in Lumbar Single Level Spinal Stenosis

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: By comparing the data of patients with spinal stenosis who had undergone decompressive laminectomy alone or with arthrodesis, we retrospectively analysed the advantages and disadvantages of the subsequent surgical techniques. METHODS: We analyzed the radiological parameters, surgical techniques, and clinical outcomes of 35 patients, who had undergone operation for spinal stenosis. The patients were divided into two groups, laminectomy alone(15 patients) and laminectomy with arthrodesis(17 patients) and the patients' subjective outcomes and radiological results were compared. RESULTS: Subjective satisfaction was higher in patients who had received decompressive degrees laminectomy alone(80%) than patients who received degrees decompressive laminectomy with arthrodesis(70%). The mean preoperative spinal lordotic angle in the laminectomy alone groups improved from 32.3 degree to 33.9 degree, postoperatively, and 33.1 degree at the last follow up. The mean preoperative spinal lordotic angle in the laminectomy with arthrodesis groups improved from 33.5 degree to 37.8 degree postoperatively, and 37.4 degree at last follow up. The lamine- ctomy with arthordesis group showed better results regarding spinal lordotic angle correction but this was not directly related to the clinical outcomes CONCLUSION: There was no significant correlation in clinical outcome, correction of spinal lordosis angle and patients' subjective satisfaction between decompressive laminectomy alone and with arthrodesis. Therefore, we suggested that decompressive laminectomy alone was achived good outcomes in patients who has single level spinal stenosis with no proven spinal instability at preoperative stage.