Clinical follow-up after surgery of lumbar disc prolapses. A critical analysis.

A retrospective clinical study was made on 987 patients with lumbar disc disease treated by discectomy. All patients had been operated on in the Department of Neurosurgery (University-Hospital Mainz). 545 patients were males, and 442 females (1.2:1). Patients in the 4th decade of life were affected most often (33.5%). Perioperative complications occurred in 5.4%, with discitis as the single major complication (1.9%). 83% of all patients who underwent discectomy could return to their normal occupation.