Study Finds Surgery for Spinal Stenosis Benefits Patients

A major medical trial has just announced that back surgery effectively corrects a painful and common condition called spinal stenosis. Patients of Colorado orthopedic surgeons have experienced excellent surgical outcomes.

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal. A degenerative condition that results from normal wear and tear, it causes a progressive squeezing of the nerves, resulting in leg and buttocks pain. More than 400,000 Americans, most over 60, suffer from spinal stenosis of the lower back, or lumbar spine.

Loveland resident Harold Graff had lumbar spinal stenosis.  “I had a lot of lower back pain,” said Harold, 75. “I enjoy doing yard work, cutting firewood and playing with the grandkids. I wanted to be able to keep doing those things.”

To help Harold, Dr. Robert Benz of Orthopaedic Center of the Rockies turned to a new device called the X-stop™.  The X-stop is a titanium implant that stabilizes lumbar vertebrae to relieve pressure on spinal nerves. It eases pain by controlling—but not eliminating—motion in the affected area.

“The surgery worked out real well,” said Harold, who has since returned to his active lifestyle. “It helped right away.”

The minimally invasive X-stop procedure is a relatively new surgical option for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. The gold standard surgery for this condition is laminectomy, which involves removing excess bone, ligament and soft tissue to create more room for the nerves. Laminectomies can also be minimally invasive.

Results from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial, or SPORT, were published in the February 21st edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. The seven-year, $21 million trial was led by Dartmouth clinician-researchers. The study affirmed that patients who have surgery to correct lumbar spinal stenosis achieve better physical function and experience less pain than patients treated with more conservative approaches, such as physical therapy, exercise and chiropractic care.

Spinal surgeons Dr. Robert Benz and Dr. Bill Biggs practice at Orthopaedic Center of the Rockies, a 17-physician orthopedic center with offices in Fort Collins and Loveland, Colorado. They can be reached at (970) 493-0112 or 663-3975.

Back to Announcements Archive