A much simpler procedure than spinal fusion could successfully treat low back pain in many patients who receive fusion surgery, according to a pair of clinical trials published online simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine.
“In comparison to decompression with concomitant fusion, a simple decompression is as effective, cheaper and safer in standard cases of lumbar spinal stenosis,” said Peter Forsth, MD, PhD, an orthopedic spine surgeon in the Department of Surgical