[Forensic evaluation of intervertebral disk operations including the post-discotomy syndrome]

Invertebral disk operations generally lead to a significant improvement of the general condition of the patient. Nevertheless, for a considerable number of patients operated on, they can also create problems, which were not present in this form beforehand. The expert practice of assessing relatively uncomplicated procedures will be described. Generally, disability of up to 30% is considered normal. Depending on individual disposition a series of symptoms can develop due to intersegmental relaxation, adhering and formation of scar tissue, which has become known as postdiscectomy or postdiscotomy syndrome. Decisive in the assessment of this is the pain more than motor or other neurological disorders. In mild cases disability of 20% to 30% maximum is evident; patients seriously affected are no longer capable of living independently, disability can reach up to 100%. Under certain circumstances disability must be assumed even in mild cases in employment which places a strain on the vertebral column.