[Clinical picture of diskopathy in patients with narrow lumbar spinal canal]

In a group of 400 patients operated upon at the Department of Neurology, Institute of Rheumatology in Warsaw in the years 1971-1978 for lumbar intervertebral disc prolapse in 20 cases (5%) canal stenosis was found as the cause of vertebral canal narrowing. Three clinical syndromes were isolated in this group: cauda equina intermittent claudication (4 cases), flaccid paraparesis of lower extremities (3 cases) and ischialgia with paralysis of an extremity (13 cases). The clinical and radiological features and pathogenetic factors in stenosis of the lower part of the vertebral canal are discussed. The good results of vertebral canal decompression are stressed.