Fifty patients who had spinal stenosis associated with degenerative
lumbar spondylolisthesis were prospectively studied clinically and
radiographically to determine if concomitant intertransverse-process
arthrodesis provided better results than decompressive laminectomy alone.
There were thirty-six women and fourteen men. The mean age of the
twenty-five patients who had had an arthrodesis was 63.5 years and that of
the twenty-five patients who had not had an arthrodesis, sixty-five years.
The level of the operation was between the fourth and fifth lumbar
vertebrae in forty-one patients and between the third and fourth lumbar
vertebrae in nine patients. The patients were followed for a mean of three
years (range, 2.4 to four years). In the patients who had had a concomitant
arthrodesis, the results were significantly better with respect to relief
of pain in the back and lower limbs.