Lumbar canal stenosis is one of the most common causes of low back pain and radiation to the legs in the form of sciatica or walking claudication.
It is a consequence of the progressive decrease in the diameter of the spinal canal due to the degenerative process on the intervertebral disc, articular facets and the yellow ligament.
Degenerative changes of the spine are observed in up to 95% of people over the age of 60. The pressure it puts on nerve roots is equally common among men and women.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms are neurogenic claudication and radiating pain to the lower limbs that increases with standing position.
Other common symptoms may be:
Pain, weakness, or numbness in the legs, calves, or buttocks.
Cramps or cramps in the calves when walking, requiring short and frequent breaks to walk a certain distance.
Pain that radiates to one or both thighs and legs, commonly known as “sciatica.”
In exceptional cases there could also be a loss of motor function of the legs, loss of normal bowel or bladder function.
The pain may improve when bending forward, sitting, or lying down.
When conservative treatment through oral medication, physiotherapy and epidural infiltrations is exhausted, the surgery of choice is to expand the central canal or foramen with the liberation of the nerve root or dural sac. Currently, endoscopic surgery meets this objective through an ultra-minimally invasive technique.
Currently, endoscopic spine surgery in Barcelona meets the objective of expanding the central canal, using an ultra-minimally invasive technique.
