Comparing the therapeutic efficacy between conservative therapy and unilateral laminectomy for bilateral decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis

Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacy between conservative therapy and unilateral laminectomy for bilateral decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods 38 patients of lumbar spinal stenosis with mild or moderate leg pain were divided into two groups, one group treated with conservative therapy,and the other group treated with unilateral laminectomy for bilateral decompression.Results The decompression technique produced a 68% rate of improvment compared with a 33% rate for conservatively treated patients.There were significant difference between the two groups.Conclusion Unilateral laminectomy in lumbar spinal stenosis leads to better results than does conservative treatment of patients who have mild to moderate leg pain with an exclusively or primarily unilateral distribution.