The Significance of Foraminotomy in Lumbar Herniated Disc Surgery

Introduction: Spinal column represents a strong and flexible body axis. It is consisted of vertebrae which are connected by the intervertebral disk and solid fibrous joints. Aim of the Study: To ascertain whether or not and to what extent foraminotomy affects the final outcome of lumbar herniated disc surgery. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 71 patients who were operated at the Clinic of Neurosurgery in Banja Luka, in the period from 2009 to 2016. Extirpation of disc was performed in 41 respondents, while in 30 patients, a nerve root was further alleviated, along with the extirpation of disc. All patients were operated under the same conditions. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the age of women and men who underwent classical discectomy and foraminotomy. There was a statistically significant difference in the disc protrusion and extrusion in patients who underwent conventional discectomy and those who underwent foraminotomy, along with conventional discectomy. There was no statistically significant difference in diagnosis in respondents who underwent conventional discectomy and those who underwent foraminotomy, along with conventional discectomy. There was statistically significant difference in the severity of pain in patients who underwent conventional discectomy and those who underwent foraminotomy, along with conventional discectomy. There was a statistically significant difference in clinical recovery, where the findings were in favor of the respondents who underwent foraminotomy, compared to the respondents who did not. Discussion: The treatment of this syndrome is complex, multidisciplinary and with problematic success, and in cases when the operation is performed, the results are not as good as in the primary operation. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the patients who underwent foraminotomy during the operation of prolapsed lumbar disc have a clinically better result.