Available online at www.medicinescience.org ORIGINAL RESEARCH Medicine Science 2018;7(4):745-7 Evaluation of pain status and quality of life in patients with lumbar disc hernia who underwent microdiscectomy Abdurrahman Cetin 1 , Mehmet Tahir Gokdemir 2 1 Health Sciences University, Gazi Yasargil research and training Hospital, Brain and Neurosurgery, Diyarbakir, Turkey 2 Health Sciences University, Gazi Yasargil research and training Hospital, Emergency Department, Diyarbakir, Turkey Received 26 March 2018; 09 April 2018 Available online 21.07.2018 with doi: 10.5455/medscience.2018.07.8845 Copyright © 2018 by authors and Medicine Science Publishing Inc. Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the emotional state, pain status, and quality of life in patients with lumbar disc herniation using preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and 1- and 3-months postoperative VAS scores. Between December 2017 and March 2018, 49 patients with lumbar disc herniation, who were admitted to our neurosurgery department, were enrolled in this retrospective study. According to the ODI questionnaire, pre- and postmicrodiscectomy analysis revealed a statistically signifcant improvement in all the parameters (for all parameters, p < 0.001). VAS scores of the patients showed a signifcant gradual decrease in the severity of pain at 1 and 3 months following the operation (p < 0.001). It was observed that lower back pain and quality of life in patients improved following microdiscectomy surgery. Microdiscectomy surgery is still an important option in lumbar disc herniation treatment. Keywords: Lumbar disc herniation, visual analog scale (VAS), microdiscectomy Medicine Science International Medical Journal 745 Introduction Lumbar disc herniation is one of the primary causes of chronic lower back pain. It is a pathological process rather than a medical condition and occurs mostly at the lower lumbar spine, particularly at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels. Lower lumbar vertebrae, which carry a large amount of body weight, frequently degenerate, eventually leading to a breakdown of fbrous cartilage material (annulus fbrosus) and herniated nucleus pulposus. The most common symptom of patients with disc herniation is blunt and severe pain that spreads to the lower extremities from time to time. Symptoms occur depending on the anatomic location where a physiopathologically herniated nucleus pulposus creates compression. Median-level compression causes lower back pain, and lateral-level compression causes leg pain [1,2]. There are several surgical approaches for lumbar disc herniation, such as median-level, lateral, paraspinal, and intertransverse. Surgical procedures used for these approaches include open surgery, microsurgery with surgical microscopes, endoscopic surgery via a thin tubular channel, and percutaneous surgery [3]. In addition, the choice of surgical procedure mainly depends on the infrastructure of the hospital and the experience and preference of the surgeon. *Coresponding Author: Mehmet Tahir Gokdemir, Health Sciences University, Gazi Yasargil research and training Hospital, Emergency Department, Diyarbakır, Turkey, E-mail: drtahirgokdemir@gmail.com The objective of this study was to evaluate the emotional state, pain status, and quality of life in patients with lumbar disc herniation using preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and 1- and 3-months postoperative VAS scores. Material and Methods The study designed as a questionnaire study. Sixty-fve patients underwent microdiscectomy with a diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation were admitted to the neurosurgery department of our Hospital, between December 2017 and March 2018. Sixteen of these 65 patients were excluded due to lack of data, and 49 patients were included in the study. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was frst performed to confrm the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation in these patients who were referred to the neurosurgery department due to lumbar pain. Electromyography (EMG) and spinal MRI myelography were performed if required. The surgical intervention decision was made on the basis of the clinical examination, MRI, spinal MRI myelography, and EMG results. Lumbar microdiscectomy was performed with patients under spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia. Following dermis and subcutaneous tissue, fascia was incised. The muscles were incised by blunt dissection. A Taylor retractor was placed at the disc level. Soft tissues were cleaned with a rongeur. After placing a microscope into the surgical area, hemi-partial laminectomy was performed. Following hemostasis, ligamentum favum was