Diagnosis, surgical indications and treatment of lumbar stenosis.

A diagnosis of vertebral lumbar stenosis is based on clinical and instrumental data derived from radiographic studies, CT scan, magnetic resonance, and myelography. Indications are based on an overall evaluation of clinical and instrumental data, in the search for a precise correlation between neurological symptoms and images. Conservative treatment includes medical and physical therapy, and use of a brace. Problems related to surgical treatment substantially consist in how many levels to open and how far to laterally release the nervous structures.