Lumbar spinal stenosis is a condition that results from degenerative arthritis (natural wear and tear) of the spine joints. As the joints enlarge from the development of bone spurs and bulging of the discs, the spinal canal becomes narrowed. Eventually the narrowing reaches the point where there is barely enough room for the nerves. When it reaches that point, symptoms of back and leg pain begin. When we stand or walk, the spinal canal narrows slightly more and puts pressure on the nerves. That triggers pain in the low back which then progresses into one or both buttocks and then progressively down the leg(s). The longer we stand, or the farther we walk, the worse the pain gets, until we sit down and the pain goes away. The next time we stand or walk, it begins all over again. This becomes a consistent pattern and slowly gets worse, until we do something about it.
Doing "something about it" usually means surgery. The surgery required for this is often a lengthy and painful procedure. However, in recent years, a new procedure has been developed that is a shorter operation, easier to recover from than the more traditional laminectomy. This new procedure is "Inter-Spinous Process Distraction Decompression—ISPDD". It is often done in conjunction with posterior fusion and stabilization. It spreads the vertebrae apart just enough to take the pressure off the nerves when we stand and walk. It takes less than an hour to do and usually only requires a one day stay in the hospital. Most patients can go about their normal activities within a week or two after surgery. The attached links explain this exciting new treatment more thoroughly.
Click here to find out more information bout the ISPDD procedure.
Fox 26 News - Houston Surgeon One of First to Offer Back Procedure
