[Results of intervertebral disk surgery in advanced age]

Among 2983 patients operated upon for herniated lumbar disks from 1981 through 1985 193 were between 65 and 84 years of age. Many of them had long-standing histories of recurrent sciatica. Most patients presented with unilateral or bilateral radicular pain, motor weakness or paresis and typical sensory changes. The usual type of conservative treatment had been tried in all patients before operation was recommended. Although our patients were, due to their advanced age and medical problems less than optimal surgical risks, we did not encounter a single perioperative mortality and postoperative complications were limited. The mean duration of hospitalisation was 15.1 days. Surgical results were quite encouraging, since 80.3% of the patients reported satisfactory resolution of their preoperative pain, motor weakness and sensory changes. Since most patients can achieve relief of their preoperative pain, it is not justified to restrict operative treatment only because of advanced age despite a number of preoperative risk factors.