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Epidural scarring after lumbar disc surgery: Equivalent scarring with/without free autologous fat grafts
M Dobran1, D Brancorsini2, M Della Costanza1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Umberto I General Hospital, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Background:
To limit epidural fibrosis and prevent scar formation/nerve tethering that may contribute to chronic postoperative pain; some surgeons have utilized epidural autologous fat grafts following lumbar microdiscectomy.
Methods:
We investigated the correlation between post-microdiscectomy epidural scarring [including select magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies] and clinical outcomes in 36 patients operated for symptomatic. MRI documented L4-L5 and L5-S1 disk herniations with (18 patients) and without (18 patient) the application of free fat grafts. In addition, histological evaluation of the original fat grafts was performed in 4 patients requiring additional surgery.
Results:
We found no clear association between the use of autologous graft fats and the clinical outcomes in this study.
Conclusion:
In this preliminary study involving only 36 patients, the prospective randomized use of free autologous fat grafts did not appear to influence outcomes following microdiscectomy.
