Awake lumbar spine surgery performed under spinal versus conventional anesthesia

Lumbar spine surgery for discectomy or laminectomy is mostly performed under general anesthesia (GA). Here, we explored whether, in a series of 84 patients, better peri-operative outcomes and lower complication rates could be achieved for those undergoing diskectomy/laminectomy under spinal anesthesia (SA) versus GA.

From 2022 to 2023, 84 patients were randomly assigned to undergo lumbar discectomy/laminectomy for stenosis under SA: 42 patients versus GAGA: 42 patients. For these two populations, we analyzed and compared multiple variables, including duration of anesthesia, estimated blood loss (EBL), and outcomes (i.e., including pre/post-operative Visual Analogue Scale, Oswestry disability index, and short-form 36 questionnaires).

Major advantages of SA versus GA included a reduced mean EBL, shorter mean operative time, reduced mean hospital length of stay, and fewer post-operative side effects. Notably, baseline heart rate or mean arterial blood pressure showed no significant differences between SA and GA groups.

Based on this small preliminary sample of patients undergoing lumbar disc/stenosis surgery, it appeared that SA reduced the mean EBL, offered shorter mean operative times, mean hospital lengths of stay, and fewer post-operative side effects versus GA.