A study published in Military Medicine examined the return of duty rates for military patients who underwent minimally invasive spine surgery in an ambulatory surgery center.
The study featured 82 active duty or reserve military patients who underwent an outpatient laminotomy foraminotomy decompression to treat lumbar spinal stenosis.
All of the participants returned to duty three months postoperatively. Patients experienced a significant reduction in self-reported pain and disability 12-months postoperatively.
The average length of surgery was 62 minutes. Study authors concluded, "The current study indicates that minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis in an ambulatory surgery center setting are an effective option for active duty servicemen to reduce return-to-duty rates and symptomatic back-related pain and disability."