Background: Surgical treatment for lower limb manifestations of lumbar disc prolapse and canal stenosis is a standard procedure. However, there is considerable debate for the proper management of associated low back pain. Aim: we aimed to detect outcome of back pain in patients with lumbar canal stenosis, after decompression without fusion or instrumentation. Patients and Methods: Fifty patiens were included in the current study. Intraoperative formal laminectomy or minimally invasive unilateral or bilateral laminotomy was done. The back and leg pain were evaluated preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively using the visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Baseline of low back pain of 6 or more according to the (VAS). Decompression only was done in all patients. The outcome was assessed preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively in all patients. The mean age of the patients was 50.2 years, 60% of them were males. The mean BMI was 33.36. Single level decompression was done in 44% of the patients, while 56% had 2 or more levels of decompression. The mean preoperative and postoperative back pain according to VAS, were 6.46 and 4.74 respectively, while the mean VAS of preoperative and postoperative leg pain was 7.48 and 3.5 respectively. Conclusions: After a postoperative period of 6 months, low back pain improved significantly after decompression surgery only in patients with lumbar canal stenosis in the absence of spondylolisthesis, sagittal malalignment or scoliosis.
Key words: -lumbar canal stenosis - lumbar spinal stenosis -low back pain -lumbar decompression.