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

Abstract

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.

J Rang Med Col. 2025 Sep;10(2): 38-42