Lumbosacral Scoliotic List by Lumbar Disc Herniation

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study of 45 patients with lumbar disc herniation and scoliotic list who had undergone conventional open discectomy. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between the location of the disc herniation and the direction of sciatic scoliotic list and to clarify the mechanism of sciatic scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The association between the scoliotic list and lumbar disc herniation is well known. However, there have been few studies regarding the direction of scoliotic list and the location of the disc herniation observed during surgery. METHODS: The direction of scoliotic list, the preoperative and postoperative Cobb's angle, and the displacement of the first lumbar vertebra from the center sacral line were measured. The location, side, and degree of disc herniation were observed during surgery. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant association observed between the location or degree of nerve root compression and the direction or degree of sciatic scoliosis. Moreover, there was no statistically significant association observed between the location or degree of nerve root compression and the displacement of the first lumbar spine from the center sacral line. However, there was a significant association between the side of the disc herniation and the direction of sciatic scoliosis. Most of the sciatic scoliotic list disappeared after surgical decompression. CONCLUSION: The direction of sciatic scoliosis was not observed to be associated with the location of nerve root compression, although it was related to the side of disc herniation.