The management of pain following laminectomy for lumbar disc lesions

Assessment of the results of laminectomy for lumbar disc lesions is unsatisfactory, but it seems that some degree of recurrent pain is virtually inevitable. The clinical features and incidence of the various painful syndromes seen in these patients, including one, the sacro-spinalis insertion syndrome, which has not previously been described, are outlined and the management of each is discussed with reference to two personal series, one of 98 patients consecutively undergoing laminectomy and the other of 35 patients referred because of recurrent pain following laminectomy. Finally, problems of prophylaxis are considered.