Comparing Pain Intensity after Surgery for Patients with Spinal Stenosis using with and without Instrumentation

Spinal stenosis has been diagnosed as a factor leading to low back pain; medicinal and surgical actions play a vital role in reducing spinal stenosis and low back pain. The purpose of this study was to compare pain intensity after surgery for patients with spinal stenosis with and without instrumentation. This was a descriptive-analytical study. Considering the sample size formula, 144 patients who had spinal stenosis surgery through target-based method were entered in this research. Patients with spinal stenosis divided to two groups of group 1 consisting of 72 patients who had non-instrumented spinal stenosis surgery (Laminectomy) and group 2 consisting of 72 patients who had instrumented spinal stenosis surgery (Pedicular Screw Fixation). Demographic data questionnaire of Numeric Pain Rating Scale was used as data collection tool in this study. In this research, patient expressed and recorded his/her pain intensity in checklist using vas scale under the supervision of researcher. Data were analyzed using statistical tests of paired t test, independent t test, and Chi-square through SPSS22 Software. Findings indicated no significant statistical difference (P>0.05) between studied group in terms of age, sex, education, marital status, and job. In case of pain intensity considering the value of p=0.0001, mean difference in pain intensity of the group with instrumentation was significant before and after intervention and considering the obtained p=1.000, this mean difference was not significant before and after intervention in the group without instrumentation. Moreover, mean of changes in pain intensity scores of two groups indicted no significant difference (P<0.0001). This means that pain intensity among group members with instrument was lower than group without instrument (P<0.098). Pedicular Screw Fixation can be named as one of effective methods in treating lumbar disc that not only reduces pain after surgery but also enables patient to do daily activities.