Postoperative bony stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal: evaluation of 164 symptomatic patients with axial radiography.

Computed tomography (CT) and transverse axial tomography (TAT) were used to study the lumbar spines of 164 patients with persistent or recurrent low back pain and/or radiculopathy. Of those patients with previous spinal fusion and of those with previous disectomy, 43% and 28%, respectively, demonstrated bony stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal. Of the patients who underwent surgery for this narrowed canal, 91% showed clinical improvement.