title: Long-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing lumbar discectomy by fenestration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the long-term outcome of discectomy and relevant factors associated with clinical outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who underwent lumbar discectomy by fenestration were evaluated retrospectively, using the Oswestry disability index (ODI; 0-20 minimal, 21-40 moderate, > 41 severe disability) and the Stauffer-Coventry criteria ('excellent', 'good', 'fair', 'poor') to measure clinical and radiographic outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients (mean follow-up, 214 months) were included in the analysis. At final follow-up, patients were rated as 'excellent' (n = 31), 'good' (n = 13), 'fair' (n = 5) and 'poor' (n = 11) using the Stauffer-Coventry criteria; the latter group included six patients who underwent reoperations. The mean ODI score was 11.2. The height of the operative intervertebral space was significantly inversely correlated with the follow-up ODI value. Heavy manual work, smoking and a long duration of aggressive preoperative symptoms were significantly associated with unsatisfactory outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term outcome of lumbar discectomy by fenestration was satisfactory in the majority of patients. Heavy manual work, smoking and the duration of aggressive preoperative symptoms were negative predictors of a good clinical outcome.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Shi
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Zhou
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000601:surgery*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome