A Clinical Analysis on the Lumbar Discectomy on the 812 Consecutive Cases

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study on the surgical results for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is to analyze the unique feature of the series which seems to be sufficient to represent Korean patients wuffering from these diseases. A total of 812 lumbar discectomies had been performed from May, 1971 to December, 1978 at Hanyang University Hospital. The most outstanding unique feature was the level of the lesion. The L4-L5 interspace was affected in 87.6%, while the most of the other series showed almost same incidence between L4-L5 and L5-S1 interspaces. The results of this analysis are as follows 1) The incidence ratio of male to female was 1.31. 2) Most were in the 4th and 5th decade(53.5%). The duration was over one year in 64.6% of cases. 3) Traumatic origin was 37.8% of cases. Post-delivery, convulsive and unknown etiology were 2.2%, 0.7% and 59.3% of cases, respectively. 4) The level of the lesion was predilected at L4-L5 interspace with the incidence of 87.6%, while L5-S1 interspace was affected in 25.4% of cases. Single lesions were 70.8% and the multiple 29.2% of cases. 5) False positive findings of myelogram were 1.2% of cases. 6) Surgical results were gratifying in 92.3% of cases. 7) The incidence of postoperative complications was 3.3% of cases, which were mainly stitch abscesses. 8) The 7 our of 812 cases were associated with spinal tumors.