Surgical Management of Lumbar Stenosis in the Presence of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: Are Decompression and Fusion or Interspinous Process Device Superior to Decompression Alone? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

AimsTo compare the efficacy of decompression alone (DA) with i) decompression and fusion (DF) and ii) interspinous process device (IPD) in the treatment of lumbar stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis. Outcomes of interest were both patient-reported measures of postoperative pain and function, as well as the perioperative measures of blood loss, operation duration, hospital stay, and reoperation.MethodsData were obtained from electronic searches of five online databases. Included studies were limited to randomised-controlled trials (RCTs) which compared DA with DF or IPD using patient-reported outcomes such as the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ), or perioperative data.Patient-reported data were reported as part of the systematic review, while meta-analyses were conducted for perioperative outcomes in MATLAB using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model. Forest plots were generated for visual interpretation, while heterogeneity was assessed using the I2-statistic.ResultsA total of 13 articles met the eligibility criteria. Of these, eight compared DA with DF and six studies compared DA with IPD. Patient-rated outcomes reported included the ODI and ZCQ, with mixed results for both types of comparisons. Overall, there were few statistically significant and no clinically significant differences in patient-rated outcomes. Study quality varied greatly across the included articles.Meta-analysis of perioperative outcomes revealed DF to result in greater blood loss than DA (MD = 406.74 ml); longer operation duration (MD = 108.91 min); and longer postoperative stay in hospital (MD = 2.84 days). Use of IPD in comparison to DA led to slightly reduced operation times (MD = –25.18 min), but a greater risk of reoperation compared to DA (RR = 2.70).ConclusionCurrently there is no evidence for the use of DF or IPD over DA in both patient-rated and perioperative outcomes. Indeed, both procedures can potentially lead to greater cost and risk of complications, and therefore, a stronger evidence base for their use should be established before they are promoted as routine options in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis.