What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back, compressing the spinal cord and nerve roots. It is the most common reason for spine surgery in patients over 65. At Dashvanth Healthcare Delhi, Dr Simranjeet Singh provides expert surgical management of lumbar stenosis.
Causes
- Degenerative disc disease (disc collapse)
- Osteoarthritis with bone spur formation (osteophytes)
- Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy (thickened spinal ligaments)
- Degenerative spondylolisthesis
- Congenital narrowing of the spinal canal
Symptoms
- Neurogenic Claudication: Leg pain, cramping, heaviness with walking that improves with sitting or bending forward
- Lower back pain
- Numbness and tingling in buttocks, thighs, calves, or feet
- Weakness in legs
- Symptoms worse with standing or walking, better with sitting or cycling
- In severe cases: bladder/bowel dysfunction
Diagnosis
MRI lumbar spine (gold standard – shows compression sites), CT scan, and dynamic X-rays for instability. Nerve conduction studies to assess neurological function.
Treatment
Conservative Treatment
- NSAIDs and analgesics
- Physiotherapy – flexion-based exercises
- Epidural steroid injections
- Activity modification (cycling instead of walking)
Surgical Treatment
- Laminectomy/Laminotomy: Removing lamina and thickened ligament to decompress nerves
- Foraminotomy: Widening the nerve exit channels
- Spinal Fusion: Added if instability or spondylolisthesis is present
- Minimally Invasive Approaches: Smaller incisions, less blood loss, faster recovery
Expert lumbar stenosis surgery at Dashvanth Healthcare Delhi: 011-41670042
