mild Procedure for Lumbar Decompression: A Review

Abstract: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal with impingement of the spinal cord by surrounding tissues of bones. Current management options for LSS include rest, medications, physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, alternative medicine, and surgical decompression. Because each modality of treatment has its own set of limitations, there is a need for a safe, effective, and cost‐saving treatment for LSS. mild is a minimally invasive procedure for treatment of degenerative LSS with ligamentum flavum hypertrophy through percutaneous decompression of the hypertrophic ligamentum flavum. The effect is debulking of tissue that is a contributor to lumbar canal narrowing with minimal trauma to surrounding tissue. This literature review presents a brief review of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and current treatment options for LSS and reviews the current literature regarding the efficacy, safety, and cost‐effectiveness of the mild procedure.