[The surgical treatment of lumbar canal stenosis]

In a retrospective study of the results, 2 and 4 years after operation, of 52 cases of narrow lumbar canal, the most frequent preoperative symptoms were low back pain (82.7%), neurogenic claudication (61.5%) and sciatica (61.5%). 21 patients had a herniated disk in addition to the narrow canal. Sciatica was more frequent in this group than in narrow lumbar canal alone, where neurogenic claudication was more frequent. All patients underwent decompressive laminectomy, most often at level L4-L5. No spondylodesis was required. After 4.9 months, 84% of the patients were improved or cured. After more than 2 years 90% of the patients were cured of low back pain and 92% were cured of sciatica, but 22% were still under limitation in walking.