The Single-Staged Decompressive Surgery for Tandem Spinal Stenosis: Analysis of the Outcomes

Objective: When the spinal canal diameter narrows in at least two separate areas of the spine, it is referred to as tandem spinal stenosis (TSS), mostly seen in cervical and lumbar regions and rarely in the thoracic region. This clinical entity can present as severe cervical myelopathy, lower extremity symptoms, or can be completely asymptomatic. The treatment protocol for operative intervention is not well-defined in the literature. Methods: We examined information from 50 TSS patients who underwent surgery between August 2015 and August 2023. We looked at the patient’s age, gender, comorbidities, length of stay in the hospital, total estimated blood loss, and surgery time. Complications were also looked at, along with the pre-operative and post-operative modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores. Results: For the disease types, 100 TSS cases were included. All cases had lumbar canal stenosis, with 28 (28%) cases having associated dorsal spinal canal stenosis, and 72 (72%) cases having cervical degenerative spondylosis. Fusion was required in 78 cases (78%). Post-operative follow-up recording was started 1 month following surgery till 3 years. The average post-operative mJOA score was 17.6 and the average ODI was 12.4. Conclusions: Decompressions can be performed in stages or simultaneously to effectively control TSS. In addition to being safe and efficient, one-stage simultaneous decompression has the benefit of shortening hospital stays without requiring more surgery or blood loss. Nonetheless, it is advised that surgical indications be closely monitored and reserved for younger patients with fewer comorbidities.