Effects of lumbar disc surgery on bone mineral density in women with lumbar disc disease.
This prospective study evaluated 60 reproductive-age and postmenopausal women with lumbar disc disease to demonstrate the short-term effects of lumbar disc surgery on bone mineral density (BMD). Lumbar BMD was measured preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Surgery was performed at only one level (L3-L4) and consisted of partial hemilaminectomy, discectomy, and, if necessary, partial facetectomy. Before surgery, 50% of the patients had osteopenia, and 31.7% had osteoporosis. After surgery, BMD decreased 5.5% in L3 vertebrae (P=.07), 14% in L4 vertebrae (P=.003), and 4.6% in L1-L4 (P=.039). Six of 11 patients with normal BMD before surgery became osteopenic postoperatively; 9 of 30 women with osteopenia fulfilled criteria for osteoporosis after surgery. Reproductive-age and postmenopausal women undergoing surgery for lumbar disc disease are at risk of bone loss and should be spared an extensive procedure, which can further increase the amount of bone lost. All women for whom a surgical intervention is planned should be evaluated by DEXA preoperatively and postoperatively.
Erdogan
Bulent
B
Department of Neurosurgery, Başkent University, Adana, Turkey.
Bagis
Tayfun
T
Sen
Orhan
O
Erkanli
Serkan
S
Altinors
Nur
N
Aslan
Erdogan
E
Aydin
M Volkan
MV
Atalay
Basar
B
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications; D017698:Postmenopause; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey