Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Full-Endoscopic Interlaminar Approach for Decompression of Lateral Recess Stenosis
Published on: February 24, 2023
Microdecompression and uninstrumented single-level fusion for spinal canal stenosis with degenerative
1Department of Orthopaedics, Summa Health Systems, Rootstown, Ohio, USA.
Study Design:
A retrospective review was completed on 21 patients who had a "least invasive" (one or two level) microdecompression and uninstrumented single-segment lumbar fusion for spinal canal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis.
Objective:
To determine whether a "least invasive" approach to lumbar spinal canal stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis would yield acceptable results.
Summary Of Background Data:
The prevailing surgical technique for symptomatic spinal canal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis is a wide midline decompression and instrumented fusion.
Methods:
On an average of 38 months postoperatively, 21 patients were personally assessed on four scores: 1) their overall satisfaction with the outcome of surgery, 2) an analog back and leg pain scale, 3) a functional evaluation scale, and 4) Ferguson (upshot) anterior-posterior lumbosacral and lateral flexion-extension radiographs.
Results:
The overall satisfactory outcome on all four scales was 16 (76%) of 21. Twenty of twenty-one patients had relief of their claudicant leg pain; the overall fusion rate was 18 (86%) of 21. Two of three patients with a pseudarthrosis had a successful outcome on the patient-oriented outcome (1, 2, and 3) scales (excluding the radiograph scale), and one was a failure. One patient with a solid fusion was a failure because of continuing back pain. One patient with a solid fusion was a failure because of continuing leg pain. The overall satisfactory outcome on the nonradiographic scales was 18 of 21, for an 86% patient satisfaction rate.
Conclusions:
In this retrospective study, a "least invasive" surgical approach to lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal canal stenosis causing claudicant leg pain produced acceptable results.
