• Jangbo Lee, Kazutoshi Hida, Toshitaka Seki, Yoshinobu Iwasaki, and Akino Minoru.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. Jangbo@med.hokudai.ac.jp
• J Spinal Disord Tech. 2004 Feb 1; 17 (1): 72-7; discussion 78.

BackgroundLumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is often a position-dependent condition that is aggravated in extension and relieved in flexion.MethodsTen consecutive elderly patients with LSS were assessed postoperatively by magnetic resonance imaging and the Swiss Spinal Stenosis Questionnaire. Cross-sectional areas of the dural sac and intervertebral foramina at the stenotic level were measured postoperatively and compared with the preoperative values.ResultsPostoperatively the cross-sectional area of the dural sac increased 16.6 mm2 or 22.3% and intervertebral foramina increased 22 mm2 or 36.5%. The intervertebral angle and the posterior disc height changed significantly. Seventy percent of the patients were satisfied with the surgical outcome.ConclusionThis new surgical method is effective in elderly LSS patients.

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