Changes in Disc Height as a Prognostic Factor in Patients Undergoing Microscopic Discectomy

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Spinal Surgery

Background:

• Microdiscectomy is a common procedure for lumbar disc herniation.
• Postoperative back pain and patient dissatisfaction remain significant concerns.
• Disc height (DH) changes after surgery may influence long-term outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between preoperative and postoperative disc height (DH) and pain scores 12 months post-microdiscectomy.
• To identify prognostic factors for back pain after lumbar disc herniation surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 118 patients undergoing microdiscectomy (2012-2020).
• Measurement of disc height (DH) index and DH ratio (postoperative/preoperative DH).
• Correlation analysis between DH metrics and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at 12 months.

Main Results:

• Disc height (DH) decreased up to 12 months post-surgery.
• The DH ratio at 1, 6, and 12 months post-discectomy showed a significant positive correlation with 12-month pain scores.
• Surgical level, sex, age, and BMI were not significantly related to 12-month back pain.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative disc height ratios are significant prognostic indicators for 12-month back pain scores.
• Lower postoperative DH ratios and VAS scores suggest potential for improved patient satisfaction with aggressive discectomy.