Interspinous dynamic fixation for lumbar spinal stenosis: a trade-off or an option?

Introduction Currently, there is no single concept of interspinous process stabilization. Some authors consider the procedures to be a trade-off for the elderly population with vague morphological changes and neurogenic claudication whereas others do not support the practice, and still others offer it as an alternative to conservative and conventional surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Material and methods The study included 22 patients with LSS. The patients were followed for 6 months. The clinical outcomes measures were neurological assessment, the Wong-Baker pain rating scale, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Radiographic evaluation and statistical analysis were also used. Surgical treatment included distraction laminoplasty and placement of interspinous dynamic fixator. Results Interspinous dynamic fixation and distraction laminoplasty resulted in regression of neurological deficiency and did not lead to deterioration of segmental and local imbalance. Clinical assessment of pain, radicular motor and sensory deficit and intermittent neurogenic claudication was performed. Morphological evaluation showed relative central spinal canal stenosis, foraminal stenosis and enduring degenerative spondylolisthesis (grades I and II). Conclusion Interspinous dynamic fixation is the method of choice for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis in presence of specific morphological and clinical manifestations.