Lumbar radiculopathy: outcome analysis of minimally invasive decompression for lumbar root impigement

Abstract

Radicular pain appears as a persistent sensation in the path of a specific nerve, associated with disorders in the function of said root. It has a prevalence between 1.2 and 43% of the general population. Decompression surgery is done to relieve pain caused by pinched nerve roots. A prospective, observational, descriptive work was carried out. Twelve patients with a diagnosis of lumbar root compression were treated, who attended the Column Surgery Unit of the CMDLT between April and September 2021. The visual analog scale of pain and Oswestry disability index were applied before surgery and 3, 6 and 12 weeks after surgery. The distribution according to gender was 4 men (33.4%) and 8 women (66.6%), with an average age of 55.5 years (34-82 years). 7 patients were intervened at a single level and 5 patients at two levels, L4-L5 being the most affected. An average preoperative disability of 50.50% was obtained, with an average VAS for preoperative radicular pain of 9.8 points. After minimally invasive decompression surgery, an improvement in the percentage of disability was observed, with an average of 14.33% at 3 weeks, 11.66% at 6 weeks, and 6.83% at 12 weeks, with an average VAS for root pain of 3.2, 1.5, and 1 at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. Minimally invasive surgery is presented as a viable, safe and effective therapeutic option for the management of symptomatic lumbar foraminal stenosis.