Risk Factors for Failure After Lumbar Tubular Microdecompression Without Stabilization

To identify radiographic and MRI imaging markers associated with failure after lumbar tubular microdecompression (LTM) without stabilization or fusion.

LTM is a minimally invasive option for treating lumbar spine pathology without instability. Stabilization procedures are considered but may be associated with increased blood loss, risk of future adjacent segment disease, and higher costs and should be used only when required.

Four hundred sixty-eight patients undergoing LTM for central, lateral recess and foraminal/extraforaminal stenosis between 2014 and 2023, including unilateral laminotomy, unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompressions, and far lateral decompression, were included. Preoperative imaging was reviewed for evidence of static and dynamic degenerative spondylolisthesis, facet effusions, and synovial cysts. The primary outcome was failure following LTM, which was defined as undergoing fusion, open laminectomy, or revision LTM at the same level of the index procedure for recurrent symptoms during the exposure period. Poisson regressions were done and controlled for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status, with an offset for total follow-up time.

Static spondylolisthesis was not associated with failure (1.00 [95% CI, 0.97 to 1.03], P = 0.996), whereas increases in dynamic spondylolisthesis (1.13 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.26], P = 0.034) and facet effusions (1.22 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.48], P = 0.040) predicted increased risk for failure. Presence of spinal synovial cysts was not associated with failure (0.6 [95% CI, 0.1 to 2.4], P = 0.469).

The presence of dynamic spondylolisthesis and facet effusions suggest that decompression alone may result in a greater likelihood of failure, and the addition of stabilization procedures should be considered.

Retrospective cohort study.