Effect of preoperative symptom duration on outcome in lumbar spinal stenosis: a Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network registry study.

Background Context: Lumbar degenerative stenosis is one of the most common spine pathologies for which surgical intervention is indicated. There is some evidence that a prolonged duration of neurological compression could lead to a failure of surgery to alleviate symptoms.

Purpose: Determination of whether longer symptom duration was associated with worse postoperative disability outcomes after decompressive surgery for lumbar degenerative stenosis.