Early Recurrence of Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Retrospective Analysis of the Role of Discectomy Volume and Other Influencing Factors

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to conduct a detailed examination of cases of "Early Recurrence" encountered following lumbar disc herniation, and to compare the data obtained with findings in the existing literature. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted by analyzing the data of 856 patients who were operated for recurrent lumbar hernia in our hospital between 2012 and 2022. By expanding the definition of "early relapse" in the literature, inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined, and as a result, 43 patients who met the criteria were included in the study Results: The severity of symptoms was assessed based on patients' Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores at baseline and during subsequent periods. Patients requiring reoperation within the first 12 months were divided into two main groups: those undergoing reoperation within the first 6 months and those undergoing reoperation between 6-12 months. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of age, gender, comorbidities, and other determinants. Notably, patients undergoing surgery within the first 3 months were observed to be of advanced age. Conclusion: When comparing the data obtained from analyzing patients with "early recurrent lumbar disc herniation" with findings shared in the literature, we found that similar variables were not significant in our series. An interesting observation is that both full endoscopic and microscopic methods have similar early recurrence rates. This is particularly noteworthy because full endoscopic discectomy usually involves sequestrectomy, and the volume of the disk removed is typically minimal. Hence, our study suggests that the volume of the disk removed during surgery may not be as influential in the development of early recurrence as previously thought. These findings provide an important foundation for future research.