title: Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary care management decisions for patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) are challenging, and nonsurgical guidance is limited by lack of evidence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare surgical decompression with physical therapy (PT) for LSS and evaluate sex differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multisite randomized, controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00022776).
  
  
  METHODS
  Neurologic and orthopedic surgery departments and PT clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical candidates with LSS aged 50 years or older who consented to surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical decompression or PT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcome was physical function score on the Short Form-36 Health Survey at 2 years assessed by masked testers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study took place from November 2000 to September 2007. A total of 169 participants were randomly assigned and stratified by surgeon and sex (87 to surgery and 82 to PT), with 24-month follow-up completed by 74 and 73 participants in the surgery and PT groups, respectively. Mean improvement in physical function for the surgery and PT groups was 22.4 (95% CI, 16.9 to 27.9) and 19.2 (CI, 13.6 to 24.8), respectively. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no difference between groups (24-month difference, 0.9 [CI, -7.9 to 9.6]). Sensitivity analyses using causal-effects methods to account for the high proportion of crossovers from PT to surgery (57%) showed no significant differences in physical function between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Without a control group, it is not possible to judge success attributable to either intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical decompression yielded similar effects to a PT regimen among patients with LSS who were surgical candidates. Patients and health care providers should engage in shared decision-making conversations that include full disclosure of evidence involving surgical and nonsurgical treatments for LSS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delitto
authors.forename: Sara R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Piva
authors.forename: Charity G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Josbeno
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fye
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Welch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
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