INTRODUCTION Lumbar decompressions and micro-discectomies are commonly performed non-complex spinal surgeries that do not involve the insertion of metalwork into the spine and are done for symptomatic disc prolapse and lumbar spinal stenosis, whereas complex-spinal surgery does require metalwork [1]. Studies of complex-spinal surgeries show that smoking has a significant negative impact on the ...

The principle etiology of leg pain (sciatica) from lumbar disc herniation is mechanical compression of the nerve root. Sciatica is reduced by decompression of the herniated disc, i.e., removing mechanical compression of the nerve root. Decompression surgery typically reduces sciatica more than lumbar back pain (LBP). Decompression surgery reduces mechanical compression of the nerve root. Howeve...

This article presents an unusual case of arachnoiditis ossificans after spinal surgery. A case of arachnoiditis ossificans secondary to lumbar fixation and decompression surgery for the treatment of multilevel lumbar fractures is reported and the relevant literature is reviewed. A 29-year-old man who previously underwent posterior pedicle screw fixation and fusion for multiple lumbar spine frac...

STUDY DESIGN  A case report. OBJECTIVE  To report a rare case of acute spinal subdural hematoma (SSH) complicating lumbar spine surgery, its characteristic presenting symptoms, diagnostic imaging, possible cause, and pitfall in management. METHODS  A 59-year-old woman with lumbar spinal instability and stenosis underwent laminectomy and decompression at L3-L5 with instrumentation and fusion...

BACKGROUND This study investigated early clinical effects of Dynesys system plus transfacet decompression through the Wiltse approach in treating lumbar degenerative diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS 37 patients with lumbar degenerative disease were treated with the Dynesys system plus transfacet decompression through the Wiltse approach. RESULTS Results showed that all patients healed from su...

Background: Lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (LDS) is a degenerative slippage of the lumbar vertebrae. We aimed to evaluate the surgical outcome of degenerative spondylolisthesis with neural decompression, pedicular screw fixation, reduction, and posterolateral fusion.Methods: This before-after study was carried out on 45 patients (37 female and 8 male) with LDS operated from August 2008 t...

Aim To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of intraoperative myelography in determining adequacy of indirect spinal canal decompression during transpsoas lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF). Methods Seven patients diagnosed with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) were prospectively included to this study. All patients underwent LLIF and subsequently received intraoperativ...

PURPOSE To compare 2 methods of fusion in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis: posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and intertransverse fusion (ITF). METHODS 20 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis were randomly allocated to one of 2 groups: decompression, posterior instrumentation, and PLIF (n=10) or decompression, posterior instrumentation, and ITF (n=10). The Oswestry low back ...

INTRODUCTION Lumbar spinal stenosis with symptomatic neurogenic claudication is a frequently encountered clinical entity which requires endoscopic or open spine surgery once the patients fail to respond to conservative therapies. In this case report we present a novel minimally invasive decompression technique using a fluid jet device (HydroCision Inc, Billerica, MA, USA) for a patient with sym...