Medicochirurgical description of patients operated on due to a diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation

Abstract

Background: disc disease is a world health problem nowadays. The adequate application of the selection criteria for the patients with lumbar disc herniation and the performance of a sophisticated surgical technique are significant for getting good short-term results.

Objective: to describe the medicochirurgical variables in patients with lumbar disc herniation operated on at the “Ernesto Guevara de la Serna” General Teaching Hospital of Las Tunas, from January 2013 to December 2016.

Method: an observational, descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study was carried out, in a sample of 67 patients older than 19 years, with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation, and operated on at the aforementioned hospital and during the period herein declared. Clinical and surgical variables were assessed. The data were processed according to descriptive statistics.

Results: the 40 to 49 age group (44,78 %) and the white skin (79,10 %) prevailed; there were more patients belonging to the male sex (53,73 %). Generally, there was a higher incidence of posterolateral herniations and in the L5-S1 (37,31 %) and L4-L5 (35,82 %) spaces. Spinal anesthesia was the one mostly used (76,12 %). Caspar’s lumbar microdisectomy surgery was the technique used in all the patients. Complications presented in 11,94 % of the cases; 17,9 % was re-operated on; most of the patients needed three or less days for recovery and more than 90 % presented clinical improvement at discharge.

Conclusions: the patients operated on due to lumbar disc herniation in Las Tunas were described, with results statistically similar to those found in the specialized bibliography.