While indirect decompression has been largely accepted as a strategy to treat foraminal stenosis, there is some disagreement regarding its efficacy in treating patients with central and lateral recess stenosis. The current study seeks to randomize patients indicated for Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF) into one of two groups: direct decompression and indirect decompression. Enrolled participants will be evaluated before surgery, during their hospital course and post-operatively at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 and 2 years. Operative details, complications, reoperation rates, patient reported outcomes, clinical and radiographic outcome measures will be compared.
This is a prospective, randomized clinical trial of patients undergoing 1-level lateral lumbar spinal fusion. This study seeks to randomize patients indicated for Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF) into one of two groups: direct decompression and indirect decompression.