Success and Safety in Outpatient Microlumbar Discectomy

Currently, many spine surgeons perform microlumbar discectomies on an outpatient basis. Yet, it is often customary for patients to have a 1-night stay in the hospital. Many studies have shown the efficacy of microlumbar discectomy (MLD) and its preference among surgeons for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. It has also been shown to be safe, successful, and cost-effective. However, a large comprehensive study of this magnitude, gauging safety, success, and patient satisfaction for these procedures on an outpatient basis has not yet been done. One thousand three hundred seventy-seven MLD procedures have been done from 1992 to 2001 by 1 surgeon. A retrospective chart review was done on all procedures. Patients were then contacted by either telephone or mail to complete an outcome questionnaire. Seven hundred thirteen patients (53.9%) completed the questionnaire. Follow-up questionnaires were not completed due to deaths, incorrect contact information, and refused responses. Out of all MLD procedures, 55 (4.0%) were done with a hospital stay-only 24 of these (1.7%) were originally intended outpatient procedures. Of those that were done on an outpatient basis, 8.6% had a complication, including 6.4% who had a recurrent disc herniation. When asked, 81.6% said they would undergo the procedure again as an outpatient. In 82.1% the surgery's outcome was good, very good, or excellent. MLD is a routine procedure that can be performed on an outpatient basis safely, successfully, and with high patient satisfaction.