Spine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Surgical or nonoperative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis? A randomized controlled trial.
A randomized controlled trial. ⋯ Although patients improved over the 2-year follow-up regardless of initial treatment, those undergoing decompressive surgery reported greater improvement regarding leg pain, back pain, and overall disability. The relative benefit of initial surgical treatment diminished over time, but outcomes of surgery remained favorable at 2 years. Longer follow-up is needed to determine if these differences persist.