Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Dear Colleagues,

Lumbar spinal stenosis refers to a condition in which the spinal canal is congenitally or developmentally narrowed or acquired in the lumbar region, causing compression of the cauda equina and nerve roots, resulting in lower extremity symptoms, such as pain and numbness, and perineal symptoms. The condition of lumbar spinal stenosis includes a variety of diseases inducing a narrowing of the spinal canal. In the majority of cases of lumbar spinal canal stenosis, the nerve roots and cauda equina are subjected to chronic mechanical compression due to degeneration and thickening of the perineural tissues, such as the intervertebral discs, yellow ligaments, and intervertebral joints that make up the spinal canal, mainly due to age-related degenerative changes. Therefore, lumbar spinal stenosis is a disease more commonly seen in the elderly and is one factor that reduces the quality of life in this demographic. Its diagnosis and treatment are expected to become increasingly important in the future, especially in the aging community. Although orthopedic surgery, spine surgery, and neurosurgery are the mainstays of operative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis, diagnosis and initial treatment are mainly the responsibility of primary care. For this Special Issue, we seek a wide range of papers on the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis to share the latest findings that have been obtained to date. This Special Issue will be useful in clinical practice for both specialists and primary care physicians.

Dr. Koji Otani
Dr. Kazuyuki Watanabe
Guest Editors

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