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Postoperative evaluation of quality of life in lumbar spinal stenosis patients following instrumented posterior decompression.

OBJECTIVES
Spinal stenosis is a clinical condition in which bone and soft tissues compress the spinal canal, neuronal foramina and nerve roots. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment on patient satisfaction. Our sample included 64 patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis on whom posterior decompression and instrumentation was applied.


METHODS
In this retrospective study, files of 64 patients who underwent posterior decompression surgery with instrumentation for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis between March 2004 and April 2008 were examined. Patients were evaluated with Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) form, form of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis and the most recent postoperative orthopedic inspection findings for a minimum of one year after surgery.


RESULTS
Mean age of patients was 59.9 years and mean follow-up was 27.9 months. When evaluated using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association form, postoperative scores in 63.5% of the patients improved. Based on this postoperative improvement; Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores were found statistically significant (p<0.001). Gender (p=0.651), age (p=0.192), with the length of complaint (p=0.095), time passed after surgery (p=0.933), number of laminectomy level (p=0.997), deformity before operation (p=0.773) and systemic disease were not statistically correlated with improvement based upon Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores (p=0.052). But Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores were found to have improved (83%) in cases with no systemic diseases.


CONCLUSION
Our findings show that posterior decompression surgery with instrumentation is a useful treatment modality for patients with severe degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. There is no secondary factor affecting improvement and instability after surgery is not observed in patient groups.