Results of surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis in patients aged 80 years or more. A retrospective study of thirty-four cases

As life expectancy increases and spinal imaging techniques improve, surgery is being increasingly viewed as a therapeutic alternative for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis in patients older than 80 years. Thirty-four patients (21 men and 13 women) who had surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis in our department between 1979 and 1994 were studied retrospectively. The most common initial symptoms were walking-related disorders (n = 29) and sciatica or femoral neuralgia (n = 34). All 34 patients underwent laminectomy at one or more levels. Ten patients also had a herniated disk. There were no deaths and only two patients had serious complications (persistent foot drop in one and left-sided hemiplegia in the other). Results were evaluated immediately after surgery and after three and 12 months. The overall result on pain and walking-related disorders was good in 53% of cases, acceptable in 32%, and poor in 15%. Our data suggest that surgery is a reasonable alternative in symptomatic elderly patients who are in good general health. Satisfactory results can be obtained although disabling complications can occur.