REPEAT LUMBAR SPINE SURGERY - FACTORS INFLUENCING OUTCOME

Forty-five patients who had residual symptoms after lumbar spine surge ry were re-evaluated and underwent additional surgery. After a minimum of 2 years' follow-up, these patients' results were reviewed to deter mine what variables might predict long-term outcome. Age, number of pr evious operations, and psychological diagnosis were not statistically significant, but a noncompensable injury, ability to return to work af ter surgery, a negative history of litigation, and achieving a solid f usion were statistically significant in predicting a good outcome. In this study of 45 patients who had repeat surgery, 82% were improved at an average follow-up of 28.2 months. Intrathecally enhanced computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, discography, and computed tomo graphy-discography are required to thoroughly evaluate the previously operated lumbar spine, because a single imaging study showed surgical abnormalities in only 61% of the patients in this study.