Early diagnosis plays an important role in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (Lumbar spinal stenosis), which is caused by the narrowing of the cavities in the spine and negatively affects the quality of life.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Serkan Zengin, Özel Sağlık Hospital said that the symptoms of lumbar canal stenosis can occur with low back pain due to long-distance walking or standing.
Informing on the disease, Neurosurgeon Zengin said, “Lumbar spinal stenosis disease, the loss of fluid amount of the discs as age progresses, decreases the support support to the vertebrae, and can cause canal narrowing as a result of the pressure exerted on the canals through which the spinal cord and nerves pass. Another reason is the enlargement of the joints in the structure of the spine, resulting in narrowing in the canal through which the spinal cord and nerves pass. Not every patient will show signs and symptoms, and in advanced lumbar canal stenosis, low back and back pain, pain in the legs, numbness and cramps may very rarely cause intestinal and bladder disorders.”
Medication gives successful results
Noting that the treatment gives more successful results in early diagnosis, Neurosurgeon Dr. Serkan Zengin said, “Similar symptoms such as low back pain or leg pain numbness may occur with long-distance walking or standing. The patient in this condition may find temporary relief by sitting, bending, or squatting. The diagnosis of lumbar canal stenosis can be made by the physician’s patient history, physical examination, and radiological imaging methods such as x-ray tomography or MRI. In treatment, the chance of recovery of the disease is quite high with medication and follow-up methods. Medical and physical therapy methods give successful results in nearly 80% of the patients. Here, early diagnosis significantly increases the success of treatment. In the early stage, muscle pain, low back, neck and spine diseases can be treated to a large extent without the need for surgical intervention. In patients with advanced stenosis and severe pain, surgical treatment can be applied when there is no response to medical treatment for 3-6 months.”
Surgical treatment method
He pointed out that surgery in lumbar spinal stenosis should be performed by specialist and experienced physicians.
Giving information about the operation, Neurosurgeon Dr. Serkan Zengin said, “In surgical treatment, an operation is planned according to the disease level of the person. If there is compression and bone narrowing at different levels, the growing bone tissue is reduced, the spinal canal diameter is widened, reducing the pressure on the compressed nerves and the spine is fixed with screws. Platinum screws fuse with the bone within 6 weeks after surgery. Thus, the spine carrier can continue its operation. After surgery, the patient is usually discharged within 2 days. After the operation, the patient should protect himself from forceful movements, heavy lifting and blows.
Declaring that screws can be inserted through navigation using high technology during the operation, Zengin said, “Our control mechanism is completed in the operating room by taking tomography during the operation. With this high technology and experienced hands, the risk of complications can be reduced to a level close to zero.”
