Published results show that Medicare patients with single level lumbar stenosis had lower mortality rates than nonsurgical treatments.
Raymond W. Hwang MD, MEng MBA and his colleagues used data from Medicare National Database Fee for Service Files for a retrospective review of outcomes in 145 347 patients with lumbar stasis. The files included both spondylolisthesis or spondylolisthesis. Of the 61 534 patients with stenosis only, 63.1% received single level surgical treatment. 47.7% of the other 83 813 patients were treated.
