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Similar instability found between laminectomy, laminotomy for treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Among patients with lumbar spinal stenosis with concomitant degenerative spondylolisthesis, study results presented here showed laminectomy with removal of the midline structures did not increase instability compared with bilateral laminotomy with preservation.
“In this pilot study, the midline structures did not play an important role in the stability of the lumber segment,” Peter Försth, MD, said in a presentation at the EuroSpine Annual Meeting. “This supports the hypothesis that decompression for spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis can be done safely with laminectomy.”
Försth and colleagues randomly assigned 23 patients aged 50 to 75 years with lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis of at least 3 mm to receive laminectomy or bilateral laminotomy. Examinations included two CT scans, performed in provoked extension and provoked flexion, both preoperatively and after 6 months with natural loading of the lumbar spine.
Results showed 3-D mean translation was 1.83 mm and mean rotation was 6.25°. Försth noted that 6 months following decompression, there was no significant difference in the increase in motion between the two groups. There was significant improvement in all outcome measures in all patients at 1 year postoperatively, he said. – by Casey Tingle
Reference:
Försth P, et al. Paper #33. Presented at: EuroSpine Annual Meeting; Sept. 2-4, 2015; Copenhagen, Denmark.
Disclosure: Försth reports no relevant financial disclosures.