Minimally Invasive Unilateral Lumbar Decompression in the Lateral Position Under Spinal Anesthesia: A Retrospective Study

Introduction Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a debilitating condition characterized by the narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal, often affecting older adults. This study evaluates the efficacy and clinical outcomes of a novel minimally invasive decompression technique via a unilateral approach under spinal anesthesia in a lateral position. Methods A retrospective monocentric observational study was conducted from January 2023 to January 2024, including 74 patients who underwent surgery between 2018 and 2023. Data was collected through a 30-question survey, utilizing validated scales from the literature, and analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25 (Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results The average patient age was 69, with 47 males and 27 females. Most patients were uneducated (n = 39), and half experienced maximal pain before surgery (n = 33). One month post-surgery, 30 patients had no pain, and 24 had minimal pain. Education in non-healthcare fields was associated with greater improvement in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (p = 0.037). Four patients had a dural tear. The average surgery duration was 105 minutes, ranging from 70 to 190 minutes. Conclusion This minimally invasive technique offers significant pain relief and improved disability outcomes, suggesting a quicker recovery and better quality of life for patients. Further research is needed to refine patient selection, optimize surgical techniques, and evaluate long-term outcomes.