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Study design: A retrospective study to assess the outcome following undercutting laminectomy and medial facetectomy for the treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). Objectives: To attempt to identify preoperative predictors of outcome for surgery for LSS. To assess the correlation between adequacies of decompression as judged on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with clinical outcome. Methods: A retrospective review of patient records of 47 patients with symptomatic LSS was conducted; Postoperatively a telephone interview and written questionnaire were used to rate patient pain, function and satisfaction. Pre and postoperative MRI scans were compared. Results: 32/41 (78%) patients reported satisfaction with the outcome of surgery. The preoperative duration of symptoms was significantly longer in those patients who reported satisfaction with surgery. Postoperative symptoms are not related to patient satisfaction from surgery. Adequate decompression as judged from MRI scans was not found to correlate with patient satisfaction. Conclusion: Undercutting laminectomy and medial facetectomy produces results comparable to published series. Keywords: Lumbar spinal stenosis, Undercutting laminectomy, Outcome, Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Materials And Methods Results Discussion References Introduction Lumbar spinal stenosis is defined as narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal resulting in entrapment and compression of [...] more...