EARLY POSTOPERATIVE MRI FINDINGS FOLLOWING SURGERY FOR HERNIATED LUMBAR DISC

MRI is routinely used in the evaluation and management of patients wit h failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). However, its value is unclear i n the early detection of signs that can negatively affect the later co urse of surgical cases. The purpose of the present study is to describ e the MR images of early postoperative MRI at 3 days in 30 unselected patients who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy, and to correlate the fi ndings with follow up MRI at 8 weeks and with final outcome. The findi ngs are correlated with literature data. Early postoperative MRI findi ngs were consisting of pseudohernia in 24 patients (80%), annular rent in 21 patients (80%), and other non-specific postoperative findings. On the late MRI the pseudohemia persisted in 12 patients (50%), the an nular rent in 4 patients (15%) and asymptomatic pseudo-spondylodisciti s was apparent in 3 patients (10%) as was a case of true spondylodisci tis. Therefore, early postoperative findings have limited value in the management of patients after surgery for lumbar disc herniation, sinc e the images were not correlated with the immediate clinical course af ter surgery nor with the late radiological and clinical outcome. The e vident imaging changes in the early postoperative period after lumbar disc surgery limit the accuracy of the interpretation of MRI examinati ons.