28 January 2026
: Case report 
Multilevel Laminectomy for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis With Low Back Pain in Achondroplasia: A Case Report
Challenging differential diagnosis, Congenital defects / diseases
Stylianos Kapetanakis
ABCDEF 1,2, Mikail Chatzivasiliadis CDEF 1*, Christos Koukos BCDEF 1, Paschalis Tsioulas BCDEF 1, Christos Siopis BCDEF 1, Nikolaos Gkantsinikoudis ADEF 1
DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.950290
Am J Case Rep 2026; 27:e950290
Table 2 Comparison of commonly used surgical decompression techniques for LSS in achondroplasia.
| Surgical technique | Indications | Advantages | Limitations | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laminectomy [,,,,,] (present case)8 | Bilateral symptoms; multilevel stenosis; no significant deformity | Broad decompression; avoids instrumentation in select cases; shorter operative time | Risk of postoperative kyphosis; might compromise posterior ligamentous complex; less stability | Most used technique; allows wider access; Preservation of posterior elements is essential to avoid instability |
| Instrumented fusion [,,]1 | Instability, deformity, revisions or recurrent stenosis | Provides segmental stability; reduces risk of revision surgery; corrects sagittal balance | Increased surgical morbidity; longer operative time and recovery; pedicle screw sizes suboptimal for achondroplastic anatomy | Usually preceded by laminectomy; screw placement may be challenging due to complex anatomy |