Clinical case

Clinical Case: Canal stenosis

This is a 56-year-old patient, suffering from pain in the lower back that has increased over the months. The pain currently radiates down my legs.

The patient undergoes various diagnostic tests and, initially, conservative treatments are chosen. As time passes and the patient's symptoms worsen, it is decided to undergo surgery.

Preoperative

This is a case of canal stenosis; in addition, the patient has listhesis. That is, one of the vertebrae has moved with respect to the adjacent vertebra, which causes spinal instability, caused by spinal hypertorphy. There has been stress on the yellow ligament, which has thickened, occupying part of the canal where the neurological structures are located.

Operation

The approach that has been decided with the patient, after having studied the tests performed and the patient's general condition, is opting for endoscopic spine surgery. A posterior interlaminar approach is performed, in which the objective is not to extract the disc, but rather to cauterize it and eliminate the elements of the posterior region that have caused the stenosis.

The structures have been freed and the interior of the canal has been navigated by endoscopy. It has been observed and confirmed that there is no compression on the neurological structures. In this case the disc has not been removed, but has been retracted using thermocoagulation and radiofrequency. The canal has been freed, as well as the neurological structures and the protruding roots. This would complete the surgical procedure.

Postoperative

The patient's incision is approximately 3 millimeters. From the day of the intervention, the patient will be able to start taking walks, and will be discharged after a few hours.