Researchers examined 591 patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis and 615 patients with spinal stenosis. Sixty-two percent of both patient groups underwent surgery. The patients were classified as having predominant leg pain and predominant lower back pain or equal pain according to baseline pain scores.
Predominant leg pain patients in both groups who were treated surgically showed more improvement than the predominant LBP patient on all primary outcome measures. Surgical outcomes for the equal pain groups were intermediate to those of the other two groups. The differences in nonoperative outcomes were less consistent.
Read the abstract about pain in spine surgery patients.
Read other coverage on spine studies:
– Study: Spine Surgeons Often Fail to Identify Psychological Distress in Patients
– Study: Nonfusion Method for Treating Spinal Fractures Effective for Young Patients
– Study: Methadone Reduces Postoperative Pain in Complex Spine Surgery Patients
