Abstract
The clinical results of intrapedicular partial pediculectomy (IPPP), first described by Kunogi, for lumbar spinal foraminal stenosis were studied. A total of 27 patients with more than 1 year follow-up were included in this study. An average age at surgery was 63.5 (42-83) years, and the mean follow-up was 4.2 (1-11) years. Foraminal narrowing was classified into three types on parasagittal MR images: antero-posterior (n=2); cephalo-caudal (n=5); and circumferential (n=22). The affected levels were L3/4 in 1 case, L4/5 in 7, L5/S1 in 19. Among them, two had bilateral stenosis at L5/S1. Two patients required revision surgery because of incomplete decompression. The average JOA score in the remianing 25 patients were 6.8 (-1~10) before surgery, 12.6 (9~15) three months after surgery, 12.2 (9~15) one year after surgery, and 11.8 (5~15) at the final follow-up. IPPP affords long lasting pain relief.
