Muhammad Irfan, Kiran Niraula, Azam Niaz, Muhammad Ashraf Shaheen.
Roles of Sociodemographic Characteristics in Determining Neurological Outcomes in patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation after Microdiscectomy.
Pak J Neuro Surg Jan ;20(4):250-61.

Introduction: Socio-demographic characteristics like age, gender, occupation has important role in causation of lumbar disc herniation which may even affect their recovery after the surgery. We want to explore the difference in improvement in Neurological status in terms of difference in socio-demographic characteristics of patients.Objective: To find variation in improvement in Neurological status in post microdiscectomy lumbar disc herniation patient stratified in terms of socio-demographic characteristics.Material and Methods: A Quasi experimental study comprising 70 consecutive cases though non-probability purposive sampling technique of both the sexes admitted in Neurosurgery department, Mayo Hospital operated for the 1st time for any disc pathology with no other spinal lesions giving consent themselves or though legal guardians was conducted. Pain for leg and back was measured pre and post-operatively was done by VAS which had 42 days of follow up. Standard Neurological examinations were conducted pertaining to muscle power (by MRC), sensory status and SLR test pre and post-operatively. Variables according to their nature were expressed in the form of Mean ± SD, Median (Range) and Frequency (percentage). Comparisons between categorical and continuous variables were done with the help of t test and one way ANOVA and comparison between both categorical variables was done with the help of chi square test in SPSS version 15.Results: Out of 70 patients 74% were male and 26% were females. Mean ± SD of patients was 37.6 ± 13.0 years. Majority were Laborers after housewives. Illiterates, Poor lifting techniques were the most common charac-teristics in the respective headings of education and employment. Most common level of disc herniation was L4-L5, L5-S1 level (96%) where Prolapse and extrusion were most common MRI findings. Improvement in motor power, sensory status was not dependent on any of socio-demographic characteristics. Improvement on SLR was associated with male genders on 1st (p = 0.03) as well as 7th, 21st and 42nd PODs (p = 0.001).Conclusion: Except gender in SLR value improvement, no other socio-demographic characteristics alter the improvement status in LDH patient after microdiscectomy.

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