Complications of Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Stenosis in the Early Postoperative Period

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the structure of degenerative lumbar stenosis surgical treatment complications and to analyze their effect on the results and indications for revision operations. Methods: Between 2009 and 2013, 513 patients with lumbar stenosis of degenerative etiology were surgically treated. There were 205 men, 308 women, aged 23 to 74 years. The main clinical manifestations were persistent compression radiculopathy, chronic pain in the back and lower limbs, and difficulty walking. The intensity of the pain was assessed by the VAS. At the time of hospitalization, VAS was 55-90 points. Results: Of the 513 operated patients, 65 (12.67%) had complications in the early postoperative period (up to three months after the operation); intraoperative complications occurred in 26 (5.1%) patients; intraoperative dura mater injury occurred in 24 (4.67%); pulmonary embolism (PE) occurred in 2 (0.39%) patients; 39 patients had early postoperative complications; acute radiculopathy occurred in 22 patients (4.28%); and 17 patients (3.31%) had surgical wound complications. Conclusions: Liquorrhea, postoperative hematomas and acute radiculopathy had no negative effect on the results of treatment in any of the cases. In the early postoperative period, 4 (0.77%) deaths were recorded intraoperatively and in 2 (0.39%) cases, intraoperative PE occurred. Two cases (0.39%) resulted in sepsis and multiple organ failure. In eight (1.55%) patients, the results of the treatment were unsatisfactory: in 4 (0.77%) cases due to death, and in a further 4 (0.77%) due to elimination of the system by the spinal column as a result of suppuration. Level of Evidence IV; Therapeutic studies - Investing the results of treatment.