Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to predict the absolute criteria for surgical intervention and study the outcome of surgical intervention.Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted from June 2002 to July 2003. A total of 35 patients were included in the study. Pre- and postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were evaluated for all the patients. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The surgical indications were disabling backache with radicular pain, limited walking capacity, and neurological deficits leading to a poor ODI score. Surgical procedures done were discectomy and laminectomy with or without fixation with pedicle screws on a case-to-case basis. Follow-up was done for up to 1 year at three-monthly intervals. The final ODI score was taken at the last follow-up and was compared with preoperative scores.Results: A 50 ± 10 years was the average age of patients included in the study. The average walking capacity was 40 m; the average duration of symptoms was 41 months. ODI improved from average score of 71% ± 4% preoperatively to 22% ± 6% postoperatively. L4–L5 was the level most severely narrowed, with a mean cross-sectional area of 75 mm2. The most common surgical interventions done were discectomy and laminectomy, which were performed in 54% of the cases. We had good-to-excellent results in all our cases. None of the cases deteriorated after surgery.Conclusion: The findings in this study have important implications in clinical practice. The radiological findings in the MRI correlated well with the clinical signs and symptoms of the patients, i.e., patients with significant findings in the MRI had profound clinical symptoms and neurological deficits.Clinical Significance: Lumbar canal stenosis is a clinicoradiological diagnosis. ODI score is related to canal narrowing on MRI. Clinical improvement is related to preoperative disability and canal narrowing on MRI.
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