Incidence of Early Postoperative Complications Following PLIF with Cage and Decompression in the Management of Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis

Introduction:
Lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) is a common degenerative
condition that leads to compression of neural elements, causing back
pain, neurogenic claudication, and functional disability. When
conservative treatments fail, surgical intervention becomes necessary.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate types of early postoperative complications
observed in patients undergoing posterior lumbar interbody fusion
(PLIF) with cage and decompression for lumbar spinal canal stenosis.
Methods:
This prospective study was conducted at the National Institute of
Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), Dhaka,
Bangladesh, from September 2021 to August 2022, involving 15
patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis.The collected data were
compiled and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.
Results:
Among the 15 patients who underwent PLIF with cage and
decompression for lumbar spinal canal stenosis, the majority were aged
31-45 years (53.33%), and slightly more were male (53.33%). Most had
stenosis at the L4/L5 level (53.33%), and housewives formed the largest
occupational group (46.67%). Postoperatively, only 4 patients (26.66%)
experienced early complications-2 developed urinary tract infections
and 2 had superficial wound infections.
Conclusion:
PLIF with cage and decompression appeared to be a safe and effective
surgical option for lumbar spinal canal stenosis, with a low incidence of
early complications. In this study, only minor issues like urinary tract
infections and superficial wound infectionswere observed in a small
number of patients, underscoring the procedure’s overall safety in a
controlled clinical setting.