Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of preserving the posterior column structure of lumbar vertebrae on the improvement of symptoms and the levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and leucine enkephalin (LEK) in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS). Methods A total of 78 patients with DLSS from August 2016 to July 2019 were selected and divided into groups according to the treatment scheme (n=39, each).The control group was treated with total laminectomy and decompression, and the observation group was treated with the preservation of posterior column structure during laminoplasty.The general indexes, incidence of complications, serum GFAP, LEK levels, imaging examination, symptom improvement ［visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score(JOA), claudication distance］were compared between the two groups. Results The change of slip distance in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05).Compared with the control group, the serum GFAP level was lower and LEK level was higher in the observation group 7 days after operation (P<0.01).The sagittal diameter of spinal canal, intervertebral disc yellow space and anterior and posterior diameter of intervertebral foramen in the observation group were higher than those in the control group 6 months after operation (P<0.05, P<0.01).The VAS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group at 6 months after operation, and the JOA score and claudication distance of the observation group were better than those of the control group (P<0.01).There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Keeping the posterior column structure in laminoplasty can effectively maintain the stability of lumbar spine in patients with DLSS, regulate the levels of serum LEK and GFAP, improve symptoms, restore lumbar function and ensure safety.