Long-term results of surgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.

There are few data available regarding the long-term outcome of laminectomy for lumbar canal stenosis. Both in 1985 and in 1991 108 patients who had undergone surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis were reevaluated using the Oswestry disability questionnaire. There were 50 women and 58 men. The clinical diagnosis of stenosis was confirmed mainly by myelography. The mean follow-up time in 1985 was 6.8 years and in 1991 12.8 years, and the mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 50.7 years. The mean Oswestry score in 1985 was 34.5 and in 1991 30.2 (P < 0.001). Men improved more than women. Laminectomy was performed on an average of 1.6 levels. Ten (9.3%) of the 108 patients underwent repeat decompression during the study period. The authors concluded that the results of the patients improved during the course of the longitudinal follow-up time of 7 and 13 years. The chances of a patient requiring reoperation after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis were low.