Sensory Symptom Recovery Following Lumbar Decompression Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

After lumbar decompression surgery, about 2 in 5 patients (41%) are left with lasting numbness in their legs, and numbness recovers much more slowly and less fully than pain — a gap that has been under-recognized in spine surgery research.

Surgeons should counsel patients that pain relief is likely but numbness often persists, especially in spinal stenosis, diabetes, or long-standing symptoms.