Outcome analysis of fenestration discectomy for lumbar disc prolapse

Abstract

Background: Various retrospective and some prospective review of fenestration disc Surgeries are available. The results of these series vary greatly with good results ranging from 46-97% and re operation rate of 9%. The need for this study is to evaluate the results of fenestration discectomy for Lumbar disc prolapse, with regard to patients post-operative subjective evaluation of low back pain and radicular symptoms, the objective physical findings and the complications. Method: Thirty cases of lumbar disc prolapse treated with fenestration and discectomy satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria treated in P.E.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh were studied. Japanese Orthopaedic Association Low Backache score was used to assess the outcome, pre-operative and post-operative scores were taken and the rate of improvement in terms of percentage was calculated. Results: In our study we achieved 86% excellent to good results, 10% of fair results with a complication rate of 3.3% only. The results were comparable to other studies. Conclusion: There are many new techniques for treatment of lumbar disc prolapse but conventional standard discectomy through a fenestration is still the most acceptable method today. Various studies have shown 91% of patients had excellent, good and satisfactory outcome. 9% of patients had moderate and poor categories of outcome.