Results of operative treatment of lumbar intervertebral discs with respect to resuming work

From 1983 to 1987, the Department of Neurology, Faculty Hospital in Olomouc, indicated on the whole 103 patients for operative treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, with the exception of the cauda equina compression. Evaluation has been made of one to five postoperative years on the basis of patients' clinical records, operation findings, and questionnaires handed out to the patients. On the whole 62 patients (60.20%) met all criteria required and were thus eligible for the study. This ensuing set of patients has been analyzed more in detail. The set under study differs from other sets described in scientific literature by a greater number of full disability pensioners after operation, by a longer-lasting working disability after operation, by more reoperations, as well as by worse subjective complaints of the patients. These discrepancies are rather difficult to explain, because of the heterogeneity of the sets under comparison. The following parameters are considered as the main clues: Timely indication for operation, operation technique, postoperative therapeutical and rehabilitation care, the methods of the second opinion board, and, last but not least, a number of social, work and economic factors. These problems will be subject to a more detailed analysis in our next study.