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Outcome after chronic sciatica as the only reason for lumbar microdiscectomy.

A Schoeggl¹, H Maier, W Saringer

¹Department of Neurosurgery, University of Vienna, Austria. andreas.schoeggl@univie.ac.at

Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques

|October 24, 2002

Summary

Microsurgical discectomy offers significant long-term relief for sciatica, with most patients experiencing pain reduction and improved function. However, prolonged symptoms before surgery increase the risk of failed back surgery syndrome.

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Area of Science:

Neurosurgery
Orthopedic Surgery
Spinal Surgery

Background:

Long-term studies on microsurgical disc operations are limited, especially for therapy-resistant sciatica.
Sciatica significantly impacts patient quality of life and work capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the long-term outcomes of microsurgical discectomy in patients with therapy-resistant sciatica.
To assess pain relief, functional recovery, and return to work after surgery.

Main Methods:

A cohort of 258 patients with sciatica as the sole neurologic symptom underwent microsurgical discectomy between 1990 and 1997.
Outcomes were assessed by an independent reviewer after a mean follow-up of 7.3 years (range 4-11 years).

Main Results:

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25% of patients were pain-free, and 66% showed marked improvement.
65% returned to their original occupation or retired without hindrance.
Patients with sciatica longer than 3 months had a higher incidence of failed back surgery syndrome (p = 0.005).

Conclusions:

Microsurgical discectomy provides substantial long-term benefits for sciatica patients, including pain relief and functional improvement.
Early surgical intervention for sciatica appears crucial to prevent long-term disability and failed back surgery syndrome.