title: [Lumbar spinal stenosis: diagnosis and conservative treatment].
abstract: Lumbar Spinal Stenosis is a typical disease of the elderly patient that mainly originates in degenerative multisegmental changes of the lumbar vertebral column. The classical symptom of pain irradiation into the legs whilst walking and relief with standing is similar to peripheral arterial disease presentation but differs in the sense that symptoms can be triggered through lumbar extension and relieved with lumbar flexion whereas arterial disease is correlated with pathological arteriovascular findings. Diagnosis is usually confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and response to conservative treatment (analgetics, physiotherapy, epidural injections) is usually good in the majority of cases. Only a minority of about 20% of all cases show progressive disease and may necessitate surgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Rheumaklinik und Institut für Physikalische Medizin, Universitätsspital Zürich. alexander.nydegger@usz.ch
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nydegger
authors.forename: Pius
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brühlmann
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steurer
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000700:Analgesics