Perioperative Comparison of Spinal vs General Anesthesia in Lumbar Decompression Surgery

Aim: Lumbar decompression surgery is a frequently utilized technique in degenerative spine conditions including disc herniation and spinal stenosis. In this study, the perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing lumbar decompression with either general anesthesia (GA) or spinal anesthesia (SA) are compared. Methods: 1152 patients who underwent lumbar decompression surgery without fusion/instrumentation were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into two groups: GA(n=516) and SA (n=636). Duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, preoperative and postoperative VAS and ODI scores, time to mobilization, length of hospital stay and complications were analyzed.Results: SA group showed better postoperative early VAS scores, shorter time to mobilization and length of hospital stay. Intraoperative blood loss was also lower in the SA group (p