APPROPRIATENESS OF INDICATIONS FOR SURGERY OF LUMBAR DISC HERNIA AND SPINAL STENOSIS

Study Design. This prospective study examines the appropriateness of i ndications for surgery of herniated intervertebral disc and spinal ste nosis in patients undergoing surgery in a university hospital setting. Objective. To evaluate the appropriateness of surgery using explicit criteria developed by an expert panel in the United States. Summary of Background Data. The use of surgery for herniated intervertebral disc and spinal stenosis varies widely within and among countries. It has been postulated that the main reason for treatment failure is poor sel ection of candidates for the procedure. Methods. The authors prospecti vely evaluated appropriateness of surgical indications for herniated l umbar intervertebral disc or spinal stenosis in 328 consecutive patien ts undergoing the operation in two university neurosurgery departments . Outcome was measured 1 year after surgery by a standardized intervie w.Results. Indications for surgery were considered to be appropriate o r equivocal in 202 (62%) patients and inappropriate in 126 (38%). Amon g the 126 in appropriate procedures, 66 were so rated because of insuf ficient activity restriction before the procedure. One year after surg ery, 74% of the patients perceived the results of the operation as goo d or very good. Conclusions. Appropriateness as measured by the criter ia established by the American panel identified a large percentage of day-to-day practice in the two surgical units as inappropriate. Howeve r,use of criteria that include new findings about tack of efficacy of bed rest probably would lower this percentage. Criteria of appropriate ness of medical and surgical procedures, developed through the panel p rocess, need to be updated regularly.