Reoperations after decompression with or without fusion for L4–5 spinal stenosis with or without degenerative spondylolisthesis: a study of 6,532 patients in Swespine, the national Swedish spine register

Background and purpose — There are different opinions on how to surgically address lumbar spinal stenosis with concomitant degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). We investigated reoperation rates at the index and adjacent levels after L4–5 fusion surgery in a large cohort of unselected patients registered in Swespine, the national Swedish spine register. Patients and methods — 6,532 patients, who underwent surgery for L4–5 spinal stenosis with or without DS between 2007 and 2012, were followed up to 2017 to identify reoperations at the index and adjacent levels. The reoperation rates for decompression and fusion were compared with the reoperation rates for decompression only and for patients with or without DS. Patient-reported outcome data were collected preoperatively, and at 1 and 2 years after surgery and used to evaluate differences in outcome between index operations and reoperations. Results — For spinal stenosis with DS, the reoperation rate at the index level was 3.0% for decompression and fusion and 6.0% for decompression only. At the adjacent level, the corresponding numbers were 9.7% and 4.2% respectively. For spinal stenosis without DS, the reoperation rate at the index level was 3.7% for decompression and fusion and 6.2% after decompression only. At the adjacent level, the corresponding numbers were 8.1% and 3.8% respectively. For the reoperations at the adjacent level, there was no difference in patient-reported outcome between extended fusion or decompression only. Interpretation — Single-level lumbar fusion surgery is associated with an increased rate of reoperations at the adjacent level compared with decompression only. When reoperations at the index level are included there is no difference in reoperation rates between fusion and decompression only.