Spinal Stenosis and Neurogenic Claudication eMedicine PMR

Description: Synonyms and related keywords: central stenosis, central canal stenosis, foraminal stenosis, intervertebral foramen stenosis, lateral gutter stenosis, lateral recess stenosis, stenosis, subarticular stenosis, subpedicular stenosis, spinal stenosis, neurogenic claudication, NC, lumbar spinal stenosis, LSS, neural compression, spinal canal narrowing, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, facet hypertrophy of cephalad vertebra, vertebral body osteophytosis, herniated nucleus pulposus, HNP, foraminal canal stenosis, incomplete vertebral arch closure, spinal dysraphism, segmentation failure, achondroplasia, osteopetrosis, early vertebral arch ossification, osseous exostosis, shortened pedicles, thoracolumbar kyphosis, apical vertebral wedging, anterior vertebral beaking, Morquio syndrome, posterior disc protrusion, zygapophyseal joint hypertrophy, spondylolisthesis, laminectomy, discectomy, Paget disease, fluorosis, acromegaly, ankylosing spondylitis, disc desiccation, degenerative disc disease, DDD, failed back surgery syndrome, bilateral neurogenic claudication, cauda equina microvascular ischemia, intraneural fibrosis, radiculopathy
Author: Michael B Furman, MD, MS, Fellowship Director, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopedic and Spine Specialists Coauthor(s): Kirk M Puttlitz, MD, President, Kirk M. Puttlitz, M.D., PLC; Robert Pannullo, MD, Interventional Spinal Care Fellow, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, KDV Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Ltd; Jeremy Simon, MD, Interventional Spine Fellow, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopaedics and Spine Specialists, Ltd
Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) implies spinal canal narrowing with possible subsequent neural compression. LSS is classified by anatomy or etiology. Anatomic subclassifications include central canal and lateral recess stenosis. The classification of lumbar stenosis is important because of the implications of the underlying etiology and because it affects the therapeutic strategy, specifically the surgical approach.