Functional and patient-reported outcomes in symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis following percutaneous decompression

Neurogenic claudication due to symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a painful condition causing significant functional disability. While the cause of LSS is multifactorial, thickened ligamentum flavum (LF) accounts for up to 85% of spinal canal narrowing. mild percutaneous lumbar decompression allows debulking of the hypertrophic LF while avoiding the morbidities frequently associated with more invasive surgical procedures.

In this prospective case series study, consecutive LSS patients presenting with neurogenic claudication were treated with percutaneous lumbar decompression. Efficacy was evaluated using the Pain Disability Index (PDI) and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Pre- and postprocedure Standing Time, Walking Distance, and Visual Analog Score (VAS) were also monitored. Significant device- or procedure-related adverse events were reported.

The mild procedure was successfully performed on forty patients. At twelve months, both PDI and Roland-Morris showed significant improvement of 22.6 points (ANOVA, P<0.0001) and 7.7 points (ANOVA, P<0.0001), respectively. Walking Distance, Standing Time, and VAS improvements were also statistically significant, increasing from 246 to 3,956 feet (ANOVA, P<0.0001), 8 to 56 minutes (ANOVA, P<0.0001), and 7.1 to 3.6 points (ANOVA, P<0.0001), respectively. Tukey HSD test found improvement in all 5-outcome measures to be significant from baseline at each follow-up interval. No significant device- or procedure-related adverse events were reported.

This study demonstrated significant functional improvement as well as decreased disability secondary to neurogenic claudication after mild procedure. Safety, cost-effectiveness, and quality-of-life outcomes are best compared with comprehensive medical management in a randomized controlled fashion and, where ethical, to open lumbar decompression surgery.