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Spinal stenosis

Last reviewed: 1 Nov 2024
Last updated: 14 Dec 2021

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • onset and duration of symptoms
  • back pain
  • activity-related back pain
  • leg pain when walking
  • stooped posture when walking
  • leg numbness or paresthesias
  • absence of exam findings
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • pain radiating down the leg
  • bladder or bowel dysfunction
  • muscle weakness or wasting
Full details

Risk factors

  • age over 40 years
  • manual labor
  • previous back surgery
  • family history of back pain
  • smoking
  • diabetes mellitus
  • peripheral vascular occlusive disease
  • previous injury
  • achondroplasia
  • acromegaly
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • plain x-ray
  • MRI (T2-weighted)
Full details

Tests to consider

  • CT myelography
  • CT spine
  • electromyographic (EMG) walking test
  • electromyographic paraspinal mapping
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

significant acute neurologic deficit

no significant acute neurologic deficit: pain affecting quality of life and/or functional activities

ONGOING

chronic symptoms

Contributors

Authors

Michael David Tseng MD, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Stanford University School of Medicine

Stanford

CA

Disclosures

MDT declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Michael David Tseng would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Adam M. Pearson, Dr William A. Abdu, Dr John K. Houten, and Dr Mark Chwajol, previous contributors to this topic. WAA is an author of a reference cited in this topic. JKH and MC declare that they have no competing interests.

Disclosures

WAA and AMP are authors of references cited in this topic. JKH and MC declared that they had no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

John Ratliff, MD, FAANS, FACS

Associate Professor

Department of Neurosurgery

Stanford University

Stanford

CA

Disclosures

JR declares that he has no competing interests.

  • Differentials

    • Peripheral vascular disease
    • Lumbosacral intervertebral disk herniation
    • Spinal compression fracture
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  • Guidelines

    • Natural course and diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis: WFNS Spine Committee recommendations
    • ISSLS prize winner: consensus on the clinical diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis: results of an international delphi study
    More Guidelines
  • Patient information

    Spinal stenosis

    More Patient information
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