title: Microsurgical decompression for central lumbar spinal stenosis: a single-center observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess outcomes and complications in patients undergoing microsurgical decompression for central lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) without radiologic instability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective data for patients operated at the Department of Neurosurgery, St. Olavs University Hospital, Norway, were obtained from the Norwegian Registry for Spine Surgery (NORspine) from 2007 to 2012. The primary outcome was change in Oswestry disability index (ODI) at 1 year. The secondary endpoint was perioperative complications. Complications were graded according to the Ibanez classification system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all patients (n = 125), the mean improvement in ODI at 1 year was 16.9 points (95% CI 13.5-20.2, p < 0.001). Seventy-six (71.7%) patients achieved a minimal clinically important difference in ODI (defined as ≥8 points improvement). The total number of complications within 3 months of surgery was 22 (17.6%). There were 14 medical and eight surgical complications, and all were Ibanez grade I or II (mild or moderate) complications. Four (3.2%) complications occurred while being admitted to the hospital and 18 (14.4%) occurred within 3 months following hospital discharge. The most common complication was urinary tract infection (n = 11, 8.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microsurgical decompression for central LSS in the absence of radiological instability is an effective and safe treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, charalampis.giannadakis@ntnu.no.
authors.forename: Charalampis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giannadakis
authors.forename: Lars-Egil
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Hammersbøen
authors.forename: Casper
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feyling
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Solheim
authors.forename: Asgeir S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jakola
authors.forename: Ulf S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Nerland
authors.forename: Øystein P
authors.initials: ØP
authors.lastname: Nygaard
authors.forename: Tore K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: Sasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gulati
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012042:Registries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*