Lumbar spinal stenosis is a condition that involves a narrowing of the spaces in the spinal canal, which are critical in protecting the nerves that run from the brain to various muscles and tissues throughout the body. For those who rely on manual dexterity in their profession, getting surgical treatment for serious and chronic types of conditions can have a major positive impact.
One example centers on a 68-year-old pianist and composer who, escaping major spine damage, experienced chronic back pain since being hit by a truck in his 20s. For many years, a regimen of exercise, physical therapy, and chiropractic treatment eased the pain, but in 2021, a shooting pain that ran down the legs emerged. This prevented him from lying in a comfortable position or standing up straight.
An MRI yielded a diagnosis of severe stenosis related to instabilities between the second and third lumbar vertebrae and a cyst that had developed in the region. An orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Health recommended the next-generation endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) procedure. This minimally invasive approach involves only two tiny incisions and minimally disrupts soft tissue. It was adopted as standard treatment for lumbar conditions at the facility in 2022.
Undergoing the three-hour procedure, the patient had the joint responsible for the cyst removed, as well as the disc, which decompressed the nerves. Surgeons then inserted a bone graft and spacer, as well as screws and rods, to stabilize the spine. Within five days, the patient was able to return home and begin outpatient physical therapy, with the result that he was able to move as he did two decades ago and comfortably resume activities such as playing piano.
