One-staged combined cervical and lumbar decompression for patients with tandem spinal stenosis on cervical and lumbar spine: analyses of clinical outcomes with minimum 3 years follow-up.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of clinical outcomes of 1-staged combined cervical and lumbar decompression for patients with tandem spinal stenosis (TSS).

OBJECTIVE: To describe middle-term clinical outcomes of this procedure.

SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND DATA: Little is known with regard to the clinical outcomes of 1-staged combined cervical and lumbar decompression for TSS.

METHOD: Surgical intervention, perioperative complications, and clinical outcomes were reviewed in 17 TSS patients who underwent 1-staged combined cervical and lumbar decompression and were followed-up for more than 3 years. Clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Japan Orthopaedic Association Score for back pain (JOA-B) and cervical myelopathy (JOA-C) and activity of daily life, before surgery, at 6 months postoperatively, and at final follow-up. Patient satisfaction was determined at final follow-up.

RESULTS: The JOA-B, JOA-C scores, and activities of daily life improved significantly 6 months after surgery, but ultimately deteriorated. At 6 months, the improvement ratios in JOA-B and JOA-C scores were positively correlated. Complications involving other parts of the body significantly influenced clinical deterioration. Twelve patients (71%) were satisfied.

CONCLUSIONS: One-staged combined cervical and lumbar decompression for TSS provided fair results, even for elderly patients. Although reasons other than spinal pathology affected symptom deterioration at final follow-up, most patients expressed satisfaction at middle-term follow-up periods.