Diagnostic method for lumbar foraminal stenosis based on the clinical results of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Utility of the foraminal stenosis score

In this study we analyzed 73 cases treated by transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for lumbar foraminal stenosis or central canal stenosis and foraminal stenosis, and based on the perioperative findings and outcome of treatment, we considered the diagnostic procedure for lumbar foraminal stenosis in the future. In 25 cases (34.2%) cases there was actually no clear perioperative evidence of foraminal stenosis. We compared the preoperative clinical and imaging findings in the group with perioperative findings and the group without perioperative findings performed a multiple logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with foraminal stenosis. We also calculated the odds ratio for the perioperative findings and proposed a foraminal stenosis scoring system. (author)