The operative methods that we have adopted for lumbar canal stenosis include 1) unroofing, 2) osteoplastic hemipartial laminectomy, 3) osteoplastic bilateral partial laminectomy, and 4) enlargement of the lumbar canal.
Stenotic areas are determined by myelogram, CT scan and nerve root block. If the area is localized at the disc level, we make choice of unroofing or osteoplastic partial laminectomy. But enlargement of the lumbar canal is indicated in more severe cases that show wide stenotic area both cephalad and caudad over the disc level. This method was carried out in forty-seven cases. The results were classified as excellent or good in 85%. Enlargement of the lumbar canal is one of the most useful and recommendable method for lumbar canal stenosis.
