Microdecompressive laminatomy with a 5-year follow-up period for severe lumbar spinal stenosis.

Study Design: The 2 groups of patients with severe lumbar spinal stenosis were prospectively compared as a case control study.

Objectives: This prospective case control study sought to evaluate bilateral microdecompressive laminatomy (MDL) for treatment of severe lumbar spinal stenosis.

Summary Of Background Data: Total laminectomy is a general consensus on the therapy of severe spinal stenosis.

Mitomycin protection of peridural fibrosis in lumbar disc surgery.

Object: In this prospective, randomized clinical study the authors sought to evaluate the effects of locally applied mitomycin C on peridural fibrosis during lumbar microdiscectomy.

Methods: Patients undergoing lumbar disc surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups. Thirty patients had 1 mg/ml mitomycin C applied at the site of discectomy for 5 minutes, and 30 age- and sex-matched patients underwent lumbar microdiscectomy without mitomycin C application as the control group.

Lumbar facet joint angle and its importance on joint violation in lumbar microdiscectomy.

Objective: We investigated facet joint angle at the level of the nucleus pulposus in herniated disks and documented the importance of this angle in preserving articulation and surgical view in patients undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy.

Methods: In this prospective study using pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans, two blinded radiologists measured and inspected the facet joint angles in 168 patients. Patients were treated with single-level, unilateral, lumbar microdiscectomy.