Pain and functional disability after lumbar microdiscectomy and their correlations with gender, depression and recovery expectations

Abstract

Background/Aim. Among the various factors that after lumbar microdiscectomy can influence on continued postoperative back pain and/or leg pain and functional disability are gender, depression and pessimism. The aim of this study was to determine the correlations between these factors. Methods. The research was conducted after microdiscectomy on 198 patients (95 men and 103 women), with mean age 50.20 ? 10.26 years. For examinations were used the following questionnaires: for assessment of pain and its intensity and character - PainDETECT Test; for functional disability - Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire; for the presence and degree of depression - Beck Depression Inventory II; and questionnaire for the assessment of personal expectations (pessimistic / optimistic) about the treatment results. These assessments were carried out after microdiscectomy in the terms: just before rehabilitation treatment, one month later and then 3 and 6 months after microdiscectomy. Results. On the pain and functional disability significant negative influences had depression (p<0.01) and pessimism (p<0.01). The subjective sensation of pain was significant higher in women than in men (p<0.01), while men had a greater degree of functional disability (p<0.01) than women. Conclusion. Pain and functional disability of the patients after lumbar microdiscectomy are significantly interconnected with gender, depression and pessimism. The sensation of the pain was higher in women, while men had a greater degree of functional disability. Globally, intensity of pain and functional disability were significantly greater in patients with a higher degree of depression and pessimism and by registering mentioned factors it is possible to predict the postoperative results.