Spinal Alignment and Clinical Results in Patients treated with Fenestration

Abstract

We evaluated the lumbar spinal alignment of patients treated by fenestration for lumbar canal stenosis. Twenty-three patients were analyzed using computerized program.
Alignment value (A value) is the index of the degree of malalignment. Abnormal A values were found in 10 patients preoperatively. The relationship between A values and surgical outcome was evaluated. Operative results were poor in 9 of 10 patients with abnormal A values. We believe that it is important to estimate spinal alignment when treating patients with lumbar canal stenosis.