Relief of Lumbar Symptoms After Cervical Decompression in Patients with Tandem Spinal Stenosis Presenting with Primarily Lumbar Pain

Objective: Tandem cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis (TSS) is classically described as intermittent claudication, gait disturbance, and clinical findings of mixed myelopathy and polyradiculopathy. Rarely, patients can present with TSS manifesting in isolated lumbar pain. Several reports have demonstrated improved lumbar back pain and radiculopathy after decompressive cervical spine procedures. We present six patients with dramatic resolution of lumbar spine related symptoms after decompression of the cervical spinal cord despite presenting solely with lower back complaints.

Methods: Clinical records of the senior author (F.A.S.) gathered from April 2006 to March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed identifying six patients presenting solely with lumbar symptoms and diagnosed with TSS based on history and physical examination.

Results: Six patients with a mean age of 55 (range 39 to 60) presented with solely lower back symptoms and clinical findings suspicious for TSS. Mean follow-up time for all patients was 12 months (range three to 27 months, median 11.5 months). Three patients underwent a cervical procedure as the principal operation, while the remainder had the lumbar spine decompressed initially. All patients that underwent a cervical procedure initially experienced a dramatic decrease or complete resolution of their preoperative lower back pain and radiculopathy (mean preoperative VAS of 6.7 vs. 3.7 postoperative). The remainder of patients with persistent lumbar symptoms resolved after a subsequent cervical operation.

Conclusion: Patients presenting with lumbar symptoms out of proportion to imaging require further investigation. We highlight the resolution of lumbar symptoms after a cervical procedure in a select group of patients presenting with lone lower back complaints. In patients presenting with symptoms disproportionate to lumbar imaging, treatment of cervical pathology may provide robust long-term relief of the initial lumbar-related presentation.