title: A prospective 5-year follow-up study of 276 patients hospitalized because of suspected lumbar disc herniation.
abstract: The study consists of 276 patients who were hospitalized between 1980 and 1982 because of suspected lumbar disc herniation. Treatment choice was based on clinical indications only; no randomization was used. A total of 179 patients were treated surgically and 97 had continued conservative treatment. Both groups were followed-up 1 and 5 years later. Five-year follow-up results showed that 68% of operated patients still had pain in sciatic distribution and 21% were retired. Re-operation frequency was 13.8%. Of non-operated patients, 82% still had sciatica and 26% were retired. Reasons for outcome differences between the study groups are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Research Centre of the Social Insurance Institution, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nykvist
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurme
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alaranta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Einola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D012585:Sciatica / Q000453:epidemiology; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation