Bladder function after surgery for lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion

Purpose: Urodynamic changes following surgical treatment for lumbar interve rtebral disk protrusion were prospectively studied. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 98 patients with lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion. Urodynamic evaluation was performed in all patients before and after surgery, and included simultaneous measurement of intravesical a nd abdominal pressure during bladder filling and voiding, and uroflowmetry (pressure flow measurement). Results: Of the 27 patients with detrusor areflexia preoperatively detrusor activity was normal in only 6 after surgical treatment. Of the 71 patients with normal urodynamic findings preoperatively the findings became abnorma l after surgery in 7. Conclusions: Bladder function frequently remains unchanged after surgery fo r lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion.