What is the long-term result of medical/interventional management of spinal stenosis?
Of patients with mild to moderate lumbar spinal stenosis initially receiving medical/interventional treatment and followed for two to 10 years, approximately 20 to 40% will ultimately require surgical intervention. Of the patients who do not require surgical intervention, 50 to 70% will have improvement in their pain. Grade of Recommendation: C Surgical Treatment Do surgical treatments improve outcomes in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis compared to the natural history of the disease? In patients with severe symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, decompressive surgery alone is effective approximately 80% of the time. Grade of Recommendation: C In patients with moderate to severe symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, surgery is more effective than medical/interventional treatment. Grade of Recommendation: C In patients with mild to moderate symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, medical/interventional treatment is effective approximately 70% of the time. Grade of Recommendation: C In pat
