News Schulthess Klinik, Balgrist and University Hospital Zurich are conducting research together
For nine years now, Schulthess Klinik, Balgrist University Hospital and University Hospital Zurich have been conducting joint research into the treatment of lumbar stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the lumbar region). The results from over 850 patients have appeared in over 20 studies up to the present day, with the aim of providing patients affected with optimal, knowledge-based and individual treatment.
The spinal canal narrows in the case of spinal stenosis, most often due to osteoarthritis of the vertebral joints. In this scenario, pressure is exerted on the nerves and this can lead to pain, sensory issues or even symptoms of paralysis. Lumbar stenosis is the term used when this narrowing takes place in the lumbar region. Often, the pain is not most acute in the back or is not even present in the back, but rather in the legs or the buttocks, as the nerves in the spinal canal are put under pressure. There are numerous options for treatment with and without surgery. Unfortunately, nerves damaged by lumbar stenosis have a very small chance of recovery. Therefore, it is all the more important to treat patients affected at the right time with the correct methods for them.
Joint research on lumbar stenosis
Precisely in order to enable this individual optimal treatment of patients, a multicentre observational study coordinated by the Horten Zentrum (University Hospital Zurich) was set up. To this end, over 850 patients from Schulthess Klinik, Balgrist University Hospital, University Hospital Zurich and other hospitals from the cantons of Lucerne, Thurgau and Zurich respectively have been observed over three years since 2011. Over a third of the patients observed were from Schulthess Klinik, around a quarter were from University Hospital Zurich and around 10% came from Balgrist. The key people responsible for the study are PD Dr. med. François Porchet, Schulthess Klinik, Prof. Dr. med. Jürg Hodler, University Hospital Zurich, Prof. Dr. med. Johann Steurer, Horten-Zentrum, and Prof. Dr. med. Mazda Farshad, MPH, Balgrist University Hospital.
The results have already been published in over 20 joint studies by hospitals on various treatment aspects and provide an evidence-based foundation for all doctors asked to treat cases of lumbar stenosis. A selection of the results was presented to a professional audience at the Alte Anatomie conference facility at University Hospital Zurich on 9 January 2020.
Right: PD Dr. med. et Dr. med. dent Jakob M. Burgstaller, PhD, Hortenzentrum, presents the long-term results of the multicentre study.
Right: PD Dr. med. François Porchet, Schulthess Klinik, in discussion with guest speaker Jeremy Fairbank, Prof. em., Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Oxdord.
