The quality of life of patients after lumbar microdiscectomy

Abstract

Introduction/Objective. The quality of life (QL) is a modern concept of observing the outcome of the disease and the success of the therapeutic procedure in all fields of medicine. The aim was to assess the QL of surgically treated patients with lumbar radiculopathy (LR) at the beginning of treatment and three and six months after the initiation of prescribed and applied medical rehabilitation. Methods. The study group included randomized and stratified sample of 50 patients treated with lumbar microdiscectomy (LM). Conservative treatment was carried out using physical therapy procedures, and kinetic and ergonomic therapeutic procedures and educational training program in ergonomics were carried out in all the patients. To assess the condition of the patients, the QL and the efficacy of the rehabilitation treatment, we used two standardized questionnaires, the Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Results. The lowest values of the SF-36 – PCS, SF-36 – MCS, and of the ODI were recorded at the beginning of the rehabilitation (PCS: 28.8; MCS: 37.8; ODI: 56.1%). The most significant improvements of the scores were observed three months after the treatment initiation (PCS: 42.8; MCS: 45.2; ODI: 38.9%). At six months of treatment, the scores were slightly higher (PCS: 49.2; MCS: 52.5; ODI: 23.7%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The QL and the functional status of patients after LM are significantly better after three and six months in comparison with the beginning of rehabilitation, and the state for six months compared to the state for three months.

Keywords

• lumbar radiculopathy
• microdiscectomy
• quality of life
• SF36
• ODI
• treatment outcome