Limaprost or Pregabalin: Preoperative and postoperative medication for pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis

 Although surgery was showed to be the best treatment option for Lumber Spinal Stenosis (LSS), Some patients required continues Limaprost or Pregabalin to improve their walking condition ultimately. This research determined that 23% of LSS patients needed medication for pain and numbness at 21 months postoperatively.

To estimate the risk factors and prevalence of postoperative Pregabalin and/or Limaprost to operate persistent pain and/or numbness of the lower extremities following the lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) surgery.

Three hundred twenty-nine patients were examined retrospectively for collecting information on the LSS disease; the duration of LSS diagnosis; symptoms; preoperative medicine (Pregabalin, Limaprost, or combined Pregabalin/Limaprost; duration); operation type; preoperative/postoperative intermittent claudication (IC); and postoperative medicine and period.

7%, 43%, and 5% of patients appointed to preoperative Pregabalin, Limaprost, and combined Pregabalin/Limaprost, respectively. At an average of 21 months postoperatively, Pregabalin, Limaprost, and combined therapy were appointed in 8%, 11%, 4% of patients, respectively. As compared to preoperatively, medicine demand was considerably lower postoperatively. Notable risk factors for required postoperative medicine were needed postoperative period; postoperative IC, and preoperative medication. Patients who went through decompression surgery showed a negative impact from postoperative medicine.  

On the whole, 23% of LSS patients needed medicine for numbness and/or pain at 21 months postoperatively.