Less surgery vs more surgery for back pain: which is better?
NCT ID NCT04542720
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at people who have back pain after a previous spinal fusion surgery. It compares two surgical options: a simpler surgery to relieve pressure on nerves, or a more complex surgery that also extends the fusion. The goal is to see which approach leads to better recovery and quality of life. About 96 adults will take part, and their progress will be tracked using patient-reported outcomes.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- surgery (decompression or decompression with fusion)
- What this could lead to
- If this trial succeeds, it could clarify whether simpler surgery works as well as more complex surgery for this back condition, potentially reducing unnecessary procedures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 96 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The outcomes depend on patient reports, which can vary widely.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 96 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2020
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Adult patients at least one year removed from a previous instrumented posterior lumbar fusion will be considered for inclusion in this trial. Any prior posterior fusion involving L2 to the sacrum will be included, whether single-level or multilevel. Patients with symptoms related to central and lateral recess at the suprajacent level that have persisted despite at least six weeks of non-operative therapy modalities will be eligible.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients at least one year removed from a previous instrumented posterior lumbar fusion * Patients with any prior posterior fusion involving L2 to the sacrum, whether single-level or multilevel * Patients with symptoms related to central and lateral recess at the supradjacent level that have persisted despite at least six weeks of non-operative therapy modalities Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with previous uninstrumented lumbar fusions * Patients with traumatic, neoplastic, or infectious etiologies at the adjacent segment * Patients with prior iliac or sacroiliac fixation and those with nonunion as the primary indication for surgery * Patients with pre-existing instability at the supradjacent level. The definition of instability will be determined based on standing lateral, flexion and extension plain radiographs. Patients with \>3mm of change between these views will be excluded. * Retrolisthesis will not be a criterion for exclusion
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Massachusetts General Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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