The quality of life of lumbar compression radiculopathy patients under microsurgical treatment

Aim. The present study aimed to conduct a prospective comparative analysis of the quality of life of patients up to 12 months after microsurgical treatment of lumbar compressive radiculopathy. Methods. A prospective study involving 120 patients with lumbar compressive radiculopathy operated on at the State Institution "Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Endocrinology named after Academician Y.Kh. Turakulov" from January 5, 2020 to November 2021. The main group included 60 patients (32 men, 28 women, with mean age of 43.2 years). The comparison group also included 60 patients (34 men and 26 women, with mean age of 45.9 years). In the main group, the tubular technique was used, and in the comparison group, the Caspar microsurgical discectomy method. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) ranged from 30% to 98%. Quality of life was assessed using the 36-item short form (SF-36) health survey at 3, 6 and 12 months. Results. The vast majority of patients, (87.5% of the main group and 71.1% of the comparison group) had no restrictions (χ 2=4.509; df=1; p=0.034). In the main group of patients, physical well-being was increased from the initial 32 to 56 points, and mental well-being increased from 43 to 57 points, while in the comparison group these indicators were significantly lower and amounted to 46.7 and 48.4 points. In the immediate period after the operation, significant differences (p<0.05) were obtained in terms of physical (34.2±8.2 vs. 29.5±5.2), role functioning and social functioning (58.6±7.8 vs. 51.2±8.8) and vital activity (56.1±6.3 vs. 49.9±8.0). After 12 months, the differences were also statistically significant and the average quality of life score was 82.6 points in the main group and 78.6 points in the comparison group. Conclusion. The tubular technique of microsurgical treatment of lumbar compressive radiculopathy is characterized by a faster recovery of the patient's functional status, a low recurrence rate of pain and radicular syndromes, and better indicators of quality of life.