POSTEROLATERAL ARTHRODESIS AND INTERBODY ARTHRODESIS FOR LUMBAR CANAL STENOSIS

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients surgically treated for lumbar spinal stenosis with decompression and posterolateral fusion, and decompression with interbody fusion. METHODS: The study included 88 patients with lumbar canal stenosis who underwent surgery treatment (decompression and interbody fusion in 36 patients and decompression and posterolateral fusion [PL] in 52 patients). The clinical outcomes were assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland-Morris (RM) functional disability scale, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. These questionnaires were administered preoperatively and 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients had surgery 2 years prior. The ODI and RM scale scores showed significant differences in the posterolateral group. In the interbody group, the ODI score showed a significant change only from before to 1 and 2 years after surgery. The VAS score significantly changed only from before to after surgery in the posterolateral group, but in the interbody group, the change was also observed at 1 month and 1 year after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The two techniques are effective surgical treatment options for lumbar canal stenosis as long as they are well indicated. Level of evidence III, Comparative prospective case-control study.