title: Lumbar disc herniation in the elderly: a rare and rewarding object for surgery.
abstract: We carried out a four to twelve year follow-up study in thirteen patients aged 63 years and over who were operated on for lumbar disc herniation. In eleven cases the herniation was at the L 4-5 level and in two at the L 5--S 1 level. Additional bony entrapment was present in eight cases. Simple disc removal through a small laminotomy was performed in eight patients, with a good or excellent result in four cases. Disc removal through a hemilaminectomy or laminectomy with the necessary lateral decompression of the bony entrapment gave a good or excellent result in each of the five patients. It is concluded that disc operation in the elderly usually gives acceptable late results. When even a minor bony stenosis is present at the disc herniation level, hemilaminectomy or even laminectomy should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lahti City Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kokkola
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Korkala
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kaukonen
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Kuokkanen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D007796:Laminectomy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*