Efficacy of lumbar decompression under large-channel spinal endoscope in elderly patients with segmental lumbar spinal stenosis

The present study was conducted with an attempt to explore the overall efficacy of large-channel spinal endoscopy technology in elderly patients with segmental lumbar spinal stenosis.

We included a total of 68 elderly patients with segmental lumbar spinal stenosis in our hospital from February 2021 to March 2023. The participants were randomly and equally distributed into the study group and the control group using a random number table method. The control group received the open lumbar decompression surgery, and the study group received the lumbar decompression under large-channel spinal endoscopy technology. We compared the surgical conditions of the two groups, including pain level, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score before surgery, 1 week after surgery, 3 months after surgery, and 1 year after surgery. In addition, we compared the efficacy and adverse reactions 1 year after surgery between the two groups.

Our findings revealed that the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, and hospital stay in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of pain between the two groups before surgery (p > 0.05), and the pain intensity of the study group was significantly lower than that of the control group at 1 week, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery (p < 0.05). Similarly, preoperative ODI and JOA scores were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05), while they were significantly lower in the study group than those in the control group at 1 week, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery (p < 0.05). Before surgery, no significant difference was seen in therapeutic efficacy between the two groups (p > 0.05), whereas the efficacy was remarkably improved in the study group comparing to the control group at 1 week, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery (p < 0.05). All patients in this study were followed up for 10 to 16 months, with an average of 13.29 ± 1.28 months. The incidence of adverse reactions in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05).

Large-channel spinal endoscopy technology exerted promising results in elderly patients with segmental lumbar spinal stenosis, in terms of reducing the surgical time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative drainage volume, and hospital stay. The approach also alleviated pain, reduced ODI and JOA scores, and restored lumbar function, with decreased incidence of adverse reactions, thereby promoting patient recovery. It is considered valid for wide clinical application.