SynthesisSpine2026
The Role of Electrophysiological Workup in Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis (LSCS): A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in Spine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Is bilateral laminectomy and fusion superior to total laminectomy and fusion in two-level lumbar spinal stenosis?Frontiers in surgery · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
STUDY
designSystematic literature review.
objectiveUpdate on diagnostic utility of electrophysiology in lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS). SUMMARY OF
backgroundLSCS is a highly prevalent degenerative spine condition characterized by neurogenic claudication, radicular pain, and muscle weakness. While lumbar spine MRI is the imaging modality for detecting spinal canal narrowing, it correlates poorly with clinical symptoms. Electrophysiological methods, including electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies (NCS), and evoked potentials (MEP and SEP), may provide complementary information on neural dysfunction. Current guidelines support paraspinal electromyography (EMG) mapping for symptomatic patients with imaging confirmed stenosis (grade B). In contrast, the diagnostic value of other electrophysiologic tests in LSCS remains uncertain.
methodsA systematic literature search was conducted in Medline and Embase for original studies on LSCS between 2020 and 2024. Two independent reviewers screened studies for inclusion. The extracted data was synthesized qualitatively. Study quality was assessed using the Robins-V2 tool. PROSPERO registration (CRD42024622427).
resultsThirteen studies met the inclusion criteria; study quality was moderate. Needle EMG of the limbs was evaluated in 23% of studies to detect denervation as a sign of radiculopathy. Twenty-three percent of the studies examined tibial nerve SEP or cauda equina MEP conduction time for lesion localization, with varying findings and utility for diagnosing LSCS. Surface EMG was investigated in 31% of studies and revealed significantly altered muscle activation patterns and compensatory gait adaptations in LSCS.
conclusionThere is an increasing number of studies combining surface EMG with gait assessments and tasks. This approach is interesting for being noninvasive, with clinical utility to be further determined. On the basis of previous guidelines, paraspinal mapping is considered the gold-standard electrophysiological diagnostic tool. Interestingly, there were no recent studies on paraspinal mapping, indicating a shift to alternative methods.
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