Postoperative computed tomography three months after lumbar disc surgery. A prospective single-blind study

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1991 Jun;16(6):620-2. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199106000-00004.

Abstract

In a prospective single-blind study, 60 patients surgically treated for lumbar disc herniation underwent clinical examination and computed tomography preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. At follow-up (58 patients; median, 31 months; range, 21-37 months), 29 patients had an excellent outcome (51%), 20 improved (33%), and 9 were unchanged or worse (16%). Dural or radicular scar tissue was present by computed tomography in 88% of the patients, but the findings could not be correlated with the clinical outcome. Recurrent or persistent disc herniation was found in 9% of the patients. The clinical outcome of patients with abnormal computed tomography did not differ significantly from patients without this finding. A relation between facet joint degeneration and less successful clinical outcome was demonstrated. Computed tomography (without contrast) 3 months after surgery gave little information which could be correlated with the clinical outcome. Patients with an excellent outcome had all degrees of intraspinal scar tissue.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement / diagnostic imaging*
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement / epidemiology
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement / surgery
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / surgery
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Recurrence
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed