Study of Functional Outcome of Discectomy for Lumbar Disc Prolapse

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESNumerous retrospective and some prospective review of open disc Surgeries are available.The results of these series vary greatly with good results ranging from 46-97% and re-operation rate of 9%.The need for this study is to evaluate the results of discectomy for Lumbar disc prolapse.With regard to patient's post-operative subjective evaluation of low back pain and radicular symptoms, the objective physical findings and the complications are evaluated METHODS30 cases of lumbar disc prolapse treated with fenestration and discectomy treated in Andhra Medical College and King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam were studied.Japanese Orthopaedic Association Low Backache score was used to assess the outcome.Preoperative and Post-operative scores were taken and the rate of improvement in terms of percentage was calculated. RESULTSIn our study we achieved 86% excellent-to-good results, 10% of fair results with a complication rate of 3.3% only.The results were comparable to other studies. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONThere are many new techniques for treatment of lumbar disc prolapse, but conventional standard discectomy through a fenestration is still the most acceptable method even today.Various studies have shown 91% of patients had excellent, good and satisfactory outcome; 9% of patients had moderate and poor outcomes.