Decompression Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis in Octogenarians; Single Center Experience of 121 Consecutive Cases

Aims: With increasing age, ubiquitous degeneration processes lead to a narrowing of the spinal canal. Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) causes functional disability and is associated with back and lower extremity pain in older individuals. The goal of this study was to determine if outcome and quality of life might improve after decompression surgery in our patient population.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we examined files of 121 patients over the age of 80 who underwent posterior decompression surgery for DLSS between January 2006 and August 2013. Patients were evaluated for surgical outcomes using the Zurich Claudication questionnaire (ZCQ). Walking distances were compared pre- and post-operatively, and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were determined before and after surgery and in the follow-up process.

Results: Our results show similar peri- and post-operative complication rates compared with younger patients and an overall improvement in all ZCQ-subgroups (overall symptom severity, physical function domain). Patients were overall satisfied with the surgery. Comparison of pre- and post-operative VAS scores showed a mean improvement of 2.7 points.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that posterior decompression is a beneficial procedure that appears to improve quality of life even in patients over 80 years of age. To date, this is the largest European single-center octogenarian patient population with DLSS that has been evaluated following decompression surgery.