The Effect of Delayed Disc Surgery on Muscular Paresis
Abstract
Acta orthop. scand. 46, 631-642, 1975 Department of Neurology, UllevAl Hospital, Oslo, Nonvay. THE EFFECT OF DELAYED DTSC SURGERY ON MUSCULAR PARESIS HENRIK WEBER Accepted 9.v.75 Sciatica caused by disc lesions is a common disease which can cause neurological deficits of the lower extremities and can be treated by physiotherapy and/or surgery. The general attitude has been to operate only when conservative treatment fails, except, of course, if alarming and definite indications, such as intolerable pain, bladder and rectal paresis, persistent and marked deviation of the spine, and acute motor paresis necessitate surgical intervention. All of these symptoms may occur in different combinations. There is some uncertainty, however, as to whether or not existing muscular paresis of unknown duration is an indication for surgical intervention. A survey of the literature reveals that several authors have examined operated and non-operated patients retrospectively, and have compared the outcome of the paresis in the two groups (Eie 1964, Hakelius 1970, Weber 1970). Hakelius found that approximately 50 per cent, and Weber that about 80 per cent of the patients in both groups had regained full neuromuscular function, while Eie achieved complete or partial restitution of the paresis in 93 per cent