Postoperative Pain Management after Full Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: An Observational Study

Background: Surgical incision pain, rebound pain, and recurrence can manifest themselves in different forms of postoperative pain after full endoscopic lumbar discectomy (FELD). This study aims to evaluate various postoperative pains after FELD and summarize their characteristics. Methods: Data about the demographic characteristics of patients, pain intensity, and functional assessment results were collected from January 2016 to September 2019. Clinical outcomes including Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores, were obtained. Results: A total of 206 patients were enrolled. ODI and VAS of the patients significantly decreased after FELD at 12-month follow-up. A total of 193 (93.7%) patients had mild surgical incision pain after FELD and generally a VAS < 4, and it mostly resolved on its own within 3 days. A total of 12 (5.8%) patients experienced rebound pain, which was typically characterized by pain (mainly leg pain with or without back pain), generally occurring within 2 weeks after FELD and lasting < 3 weeks. The pain levels of rebound pain were equal to or less than those of preoperative pain, and generally scored a VAS of < 6. The recurrence rate was 4.4%. Recurrence often occurs within three months after surgery, with the pain level of the recurrence being greater than or equal to the preoperative pain. Conclusions: Different types of postoperative pain have their own unique characteristics and durations, and treatment options are also distinct. Conservative treatment and analgesia may be indicated for rebound pain and surgical incision pain, but recurrence usually requires surgical treatment.