Microdecompression Versus Open Laminectomy and Posterior Stabilization for Multilevel Lumbar Spine Stenosis

This randomized controlled study was conducted between January 2016 and October 2018. One hundred patients were involved in this study. All these patients were suffered from radicular leg pain with MRI features of multilevel lumbar spinal stenosis and were treated by conservative treatment of medical treatment and physiotherapy without benefit for (6) months. Those patients were divided into two groups; Group A, (50) Microdecompression, and Group B, (50) patients who were treated by open wide laminectomy and posterior stabilization. Both groups of patients were followed up with ODI (Oswestry disability index) and VAS (Visual analogue score) for the back and leg pain for one year. Results: The results showed that both groups got significant improvement regarding Oswestry disability index. Regarding back pain, there was a significant improvement in both groups with better results in‐group A due minimal tissues injury as the advantage of minimal invasive technique. In both groups, there were marked improvement of radicular leg pain postoperatively. Conclusions: Both Microdecompression and wide open laminectomy with posterior stabilization were effective in treatment of multilevel lumbar spinal stenosis with superior results of Microdecompression regarding less back pain postoperatively with less blood loss and soft tissue dissection.