Functional results and the risk factors of reoperations after lumbar disc surgery

Bilge Kara, Zeliha Tulum, Ümit Acar

October 2004, Volume 14, Issue 1, pp 43 - 48 Original Article Read Full Article

First Online: 13 October 2004

Factors such as driving motor vehicles, sedentary occupations, vibration, smoking, previous full-term pregnancies, physical inactivity, increased body mass index (BMI), and a tall stature are associated with symptomatic disc herniations. Fitness and strength is postulated to protect an individual from disc rupture. The objective of our study was to determine the pain levels and differences of functional and economic situations of patients who had undergone one or more than one operation due to lumbar disc herniation and to put forward the effect of risk factors that may be potential, especially from the aspect of undergoing reoperation. Patients who had undergone one (n=46) or more than one operation (n=34) due to lumbar disc herniation were included in the study. It was a prospective study with evaluation on the day the patients were discharged and at second and sixth months after lumbar disc operation. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used in determining the functional disability associated with back pain; the Prolo Functional Economic Rating Scale (Prolo scale) was used in determining the effect of back pain on functional and economic situations. In the ODI measurements made in the postoperative second and sixth months, significant differences appeared in favor of patients who had undergone one operation (p<0.05). According to the Prolo scale, it was found that the economic situation was better in the sixth month and the functional situation was better in the second and sixth months in patients having undergone one operation (p<0.05). The logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the lack of regular physical exercise was a significant predictor for reoperation (OR, 4.595; CI, 1.38–15.28), whereas gender, age, BMI, occupation, or smoking did not indicate so much significance as regular exercise.

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