Functional outcome following surgical decompression in degenerative spine disease at a tertiary health facility, North Central Nigeria.

Background. Spinal decompression and fusion surgeries in degenerative disease of the spine are commonly indicated in lateral recess syndrome, central spinal canal or foraminal stenosis from osteophytes, prolapsed discs and spondylolisthesis to relieve radiclar back or neck pain.A Careful patients selection is required to achieve significant improvement in clinical symptoms. In this study we reviewed the clinical outcomes associated with spinal decompression and fusion surgery in patients with degenerative spine disease associated with spinal canal and or foraminal stenosis Methods. This was a 10 year ( January 2014 - December 2023) retrospective cohort review of all patients who had spinal decompression surgery for spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. Patients' hospital records were retrieved, and relevant biodata and clinical information were obtained and entered into the Statistical Product and Service Solutions version 27. a univariate analysis of the clinical outcome was performed. Results . There were 80 patients who had spinal decompression surgery over this period. Thirteen patients were excluded from analysis due lack of relevant clinical data .The majority (43, 64.2%) of spinal decompression surgeries were performed in males, and the median age was 56years. Most (49. 73.1%) of the surgeries were done for lumbar spine disease. More than half of the Patients who had cervical decompression surgeries remained clinically same without significant improvement, whereas the large majority of those who had lumbar surgery improved significantly Conclusion. Spinal decompression surgery for patients with degenerative spine disease assocaited with spinal canal stenosis results in clinical improvement of symptoms in patients with lumbar disease. However, most of the patients who had cervical decompression surgery had no change in theirclinical symptoms.