Changes in Attitudes toward Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment

As the environment surrounding healthcare continues to evolve, there is a need to revise outcome assessment criteria. A shift is being demanded in diagnosis and treatment outcome assessment practices from objective to subjective assessment and from evaluation by doctors to assessment that is based on the patient’s own perspective. Therefore, lumbar diseases must now be assessed from multiple perspectives. Some major indices for evaluation are pain and numbness, functional status, general health status, disability, and patient satisfaction. An effective assessment method for lumbar spinal stenos is that examines symptoms, quality of life, and healthcare economics as key assessment factor is reviewed.