Table 5. Postoperative sequelae & complications versus MacNab outcomes in inside-out vs. outside-in foraminoplasty patients.
| Technique | Modified MacNab outcomes | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | ||
| Inside-out | |||||
| Sequelae | |||||
| N/A | 27 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 62 |
| Dysesthesia | – | 5 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Recurrent HNP | 4 | 4 | 1 | – | 9 |
| Persistent pain & stenosis | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 3 |
| Other level pain | – | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| Hematoma | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Subtotal | 32 | 40 | 11 | 3 | 86 |
| Outside-in | |||||
| Sequelae | |||||
| N/A | 47 | 2 | 1 | – | 50 |
| Dysesthesia | 8 | – | – | – | 8 |
| Recurrent pain | 2 | 7 | – | – | 9 |
| Same level other side pain | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 8 |
| Other level pain | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | 7 |
| Axial back pain | – | 7 | – | – | 7 |
| Sacral iliac joint pain | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Subtotal | 61 | 23 | 6 | – | 90 |
| Total | |||||
| Sequelae | |||||
| N/A | 74 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 112 |
| Dysesthesia | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
| Recurrent pain | 2 | 7 | – | – | 9 |
| Recurrent HNP | 4 | 4 | 1 | – | 9 |
| Same level other side pain | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 8 |
| Other level pain | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | 7 |
| Axial back pain | – | 7 | – | – | 7 |
| Persistent pain & stenosis | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 3 |
| Other level pain | – | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| Hematoma | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Sacral iliac joint pain | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Total | 93 | 63 | 17 | 3 | 176 |