Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36437434›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2023

Unilateral microscopic approach for lumbar spinal stenosis decompression: a scoping review.

Saad Moughal, Michael C Quaye, Salima Wahab, Jonathan Hempenstall, Colin Griffith, Jason Harvey, Kyriakos Giannoulis, Stephen McGillion, Emad Shenouda, Nicholas Brooke and 3 more

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Clinical efficacy of uniportal and biportal endoscopic ULBD techniques in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Saad MoughalWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Michael C QuayeWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Salima WahabWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Jonathan HempenstallWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Colin GriffithWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Jason HarveyWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Kyriakos GiannoulisWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Stephen McGillionWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Emad ShenoudaWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Nicholas BrookeWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Ali Nader-SepahiWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Christopher J DareWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Anan ShtayaWessex Spinal Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK. Anan.Shtaya@uhs.nhs.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-7459-8437

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMicroscopic unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression (ULBD) is a minimally invasive technique used in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis and could limit spinal instability and be associated with better clinical outcomes. However, there is ongoing debate regarding its utility compared to conventional laminectomy (CL). The primary objective was to collate and describe the current evidence base for ULBD, including perioperative parameters, functional outcomes, and complications. The secondary objective was to identify operative techniques.

methodsA scoping review was conducted between January 1990 and August 2022 according to the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Major databases were searched for full text English articles reporting on outcomes following microscopic unilateral laminotomy in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

resultsSeventeen articles met the inclusion criteria. Two studies were randomised controlled trials. Two studies were prospective data collection and the rest were retrospective analysis. Three studies compared ULBD with CL. ULBD preserves the osteoligamentous complex and may be associated with shorter operative time, less blood loss, and similar clinical outcomes when compared to CL.

conclusionThis review highlights that ULBD aims to minimise disruption to the normal posterior spinal anatomy and may have acceptable clinical outcomes. It also highlights that it is difficult to draw valid conclusions given there are limited data available as most studies identified were retrospective or did not have a comparator group.

Indexed as

Decompression, SurgicalSpinal StenosisHumansLaminectomyLumbar VertebraeRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeLaminectomyLaminotomyLumbar spinal stenosisMicroscopicOutcomeUnilateral

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.