Comparison of the effects of laminectomy alone and laminectomy with fusion and fixation in the patients over 50 years of age with degenerative spinal canal stenosis

Background and Aim: Low back pain is a major health problem. About 10% of patients develop chronic disability. Prevalence of some disorders such as spinal canal stenosis will rise with increasing age. When preservative treatment fails to improve symptoms in the patients with stenosis of the lumbar canal, surgical measures can be considered. Laminectomy alone or laminectomy with fusion and fixation are surgical procedures for spinal canal stenosis. Each of these procedures has its own advantages and disadvantages. Comparison of the clinical effects of these two methods in the patients with stenosis of the canal is a way to obtain more accurate results in order to select the appropriate procedure. Material and Methods: This retrospective study included 42 patients with degenerative spinal canal stenosis, who had underwent surgery at least six months ago. Selection of surgical procedure (single laminectomy or laminectomy with fusion and fixation) was based on clinical condition of every patient. Oswestry Disability Index scale was used for clinical comparison of the two groups at least 6 months after surgery. Results: Considering the results, we found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of surgical complications, radiculer pain improvement, low back pain and neurogenic claudication; but fusion and fixation laminectomy resulted in improved performance of the patients Conclusion: The findings of this study and other studies suggest that laminectomy with fusion surgery is preferable for the treatment of degenerative spinal canal stenosis.