[The narrow lumbar canal. Study of a surgical series of 139 cases].
Over a period of 9 years, 139 patients with a mean age of 61 years were operated upon for disorders due to narrow lumbar vertebral canal. Clinical expression varied: lumbago, movement sciatica, intermittent claudication... Importance must be attached to discordance of examination findings in apparently benign root pain (67% of cases). The two key examinations of radiologic investigation are radiculography and a CT scan. Treatment is surgical, generally by a two-stage wide laminectomy combined with abrasion of an articular facet (64%), excision of osteophytic pads (35%) and/or treatment for a soft herniated disc (26%). Recovery was obtained in 35% of cases and pronounced improvement in 49% (84% of very good and good results) as evaluated by patients and surgeons.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*
Canaux lombaires étroits. Etude d'une série opératoire de 139 cas.