Functional outcomes of microdiscectomy - does obesity affect early postoperative outcomes?
Section snippets
Background Context
Lumbar Disc pathology remains one of the leading causes of back pain with a multitude of surgical options. Choosing the best management option remains a challenge for many practitioners due to the individualized needs and variables of each patient. Obesity poses a challenge to surgeons regarding anaesthesia, positioning and adequate exposure which required longer incisions. Studies showed that in selected patient population, microdiscectomy achieved favourable short and long term outcomes with
Purpose
The Purpose of this study is to find out if the quality of life and pain are affected by BMI following microdiscectomy. The researchers are unaware of any similar studies.
Study Design/Setting
This is retrospective and prospective study to evaluate patients who already have had microdiscectomy at Hamad general hospital by one team.
Patient Sample
50 patients.
Outcome Measures
Patients were interviewed and Short Form 12 (SF-12) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were obtained and compared between 2 group of BMI to their preoperative counterparts.
Methods
Study subjects were identified through the microdiscectomy registry at Hamad Medical Corporation. 50 patients who had microdiscectomy over one year prior to the closure of the study were enrolled. The study population was divided into two groups according to their BMI. Group A had BMI less than 25 kg/m2 while group B included those with a BMI equal to and above 25 kg/m2. Patients’ medical records were reviewed for demographics, complications and radiographic findings. Patients were interviewed
Results
Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in SF-12 or VAS scores between the 2 groups at one year follow up.
Conclusions
In the early post-operative period, quality of life and pain following microdiscectomy is not affected by the patient’s BMI.
Conflicts of Interest
None.
Funding Sources
Medical Research Centre, HMC, Doha, Qatar.