Comparison of Microscopic Lumbar Discectomy Between under Local and General Anesthesia in Lumbar Disc Herniation

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of microdiscectomy under local anesthesia in comparison with general anesthesia. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW No co RESULTS: Between both groups there is no significant operation time difference. However, the average hospital stay duration in the general anesthesia group was 7.3 days, while it was 4.7 days in the local anesthesia group (P0.05). Three patients in the general anesthesia group and 7 patients in the local anesthesia group needed a reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: A microdiscectomy under local anesthesia shows faster recovery period. But it shows also a relative high revision rate. In patients with old age and underlying disease, local anesthesia can be used for the microdiscectomy selectively and careful exploration of the herniated disc is required.