Factors associated with lumbar disc hernia recurrence after microdiscectomy

Abstract

Introduction: Lumbar disc hernias are a common cause of spinal surgery. Hernia recurrence is a prevalent complication.

Objective: To analyse the risk factors associated with hernia recurrence in patients undergoing surgery in our institution.

Materials and methods: Lumbar microdiscectomies between 2010 and 2014 were analysed, patients with previous surgeries, extraforaminales and foraminal hernias were excluded. Patients with recurrent hernia were the case group and those who showed no recurrence were the control group.

Results: 177 patients with lumbar microdiscectomy, of whom 30 experienced recurrence (16%), and of these 27 were reoperated. Among the risk factors associated with recurrence, we observed a higher rate of disc height, higher percentage of spinal canal occupied by the hernia and presence of degenerative facet joint changes; we observed no differences in sex, body mass index or age.

Discussion: Previous studies show increased disc height and young patients as possible factors associated with recurrence.

Conclusion: In our series we found that the higher rate of disc height, the percentage of spinal canal occupied by the hernia and degenerative facet joint changes were associated with hernia recurrence.

Keywords: Hernia discal lumbar; Hernia recurrence; Lumbar disk herniation; Microdiscectomy; Microdiscectomía; Recidiva herniaria.