title: Improvement in low back pain following spinal decompression: observational study of 119 patients.
abstract: METHODS
  Prospective clinical observational study of low back pain (LBP) in patients undergoing laminectomy or laminotomy surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To quantify any change in LBP following laminectomy or laminotomy spinal decompression surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  119 patients with LSS completed Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire (ODI) and Visual Analogue Scale for back and leg pain, preoperatively, 6 weeks and 1 year postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant (p < 0.0001) reduction in mean LBP from a baseline of 5.14/10 to 3.03/10 at 6 weeks. Similar results were seen at 1 year where mean LBP score was 3.07/10. There was a significant (p < 0.0001) reduction in the mean ODI at 6 weeks and 1 year postoperatively. Mean ODI fell from 44.82 to 25.13 at 6 weeks and 28.39 at 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aim of surgery in patients with LSS is to improve the resulting symptoms that include radicular leg pain and claudication. This observational study reports statistically significant improvement of LBP after LSS surgery. This provides frequency distribution data, which can be used to inform prospective patients of the expected outcomes of such surgery.
authors: North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4JB, UK, alijones@doctors.net.uk.
authors: Alistair Daniel Robert
authors: AD
authors: Jones
authors: Ahmad Mounir
authors: AM
authors: Wafai
authors: Amy Louise
authors: AL
authors: Easterbrook
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
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