Study of correlation between clinical findings, radiological and intra operative findings in lumbar disc prolapse

Background: Lumbar disc prolapse is one of the common causes of low back pain seen in the working population 1, 2. Clinical examination is mainstay of diagnosis, to be confirmed by plain X-ray, invasive radiography like myelography, discography etc. There is a good correlation between the findings of clinical features and MRI. However, all MRI abnormalities do not correlate with the findings of clinical features. Study was conducted to correlate between clinical findings, radiological and intra operative findings in lumbar disc prolapsed.Materials and Methods: Fifty eight cases of symptomatic prolapsed intervertebral disc confirmed by MRI who were not relieved by conservative line of management for a period of 6 weeks were selected for surgical intervention, were studied from 2014 to 2019. Patients presenting with clinical features of lower limb radiculopathy to the out patient department of orthopedics were screened for inclusion in the study. The patients with clinical diagnosis of lumbar disc prolapse were included in the study. Patients who presented with acute onset of symptoms and were having radicular symptoms for the first time were treated with simple bed rest and analgesics for 6 weeks and patients who had completely recovered were excluded from the study.Results: There was positive correlation between clinical, MRI findings and intra operative findings in 55 out of 58 and negative correlation in 3 out of 58 patients.Conclusion: There was positive correlation between clinical, MRI findings and intra operative findings. MRI is a helpful preoperative diagnostic investigation which shows structural changes in the disc the size and the site of the extrusion or protrusion.