Interspinous device in primary lumbar discectomy. Does it favor the recurrence of disc herniation?

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate if discectomy with placement of an interspinous silicon DIAM spacer is associated with a different rate of clinical and radiographic ipsilateral disc herniation recurrence than discectomy alone.Methods: A prospective, observational,randomized study was performed from May 2009 to May 2013 at XXXXX. Of the 123 patients included in the study, 3 were lost to follow-up, leaving 120 patients for data analysis. All patients were operated on by the same surgical team. Patients received one of two types of treatment. Group A consisted of 30 patients (16 women and 14 ment) who underwent discectomy with placement of an interspinous silicone DIAM spacer. Group B was composed of 90 patients (53 women and 37 men) who received discectomy alone.Results: Discectomy at L4-L5 was the most common level, occurring in 90% (27) Group A patients and 80% (72) Group B patients. Group A demonstrated clinical and radiographic disc herniation recurrence in 6/30 (20%) of patients. Disc herniation recurrence developed in 4/90 (4.4%) Group B patients. One patient underwent reoperation (1.1%). Both recurrence and reoperation was significantly higher in Group A (p = 0.007 and p = 0.019, respectively).Conclusions: The benefits of interespinosos devices for the treatment of the lumbar spinal stenosis secondary to herniated disc while they are controversial in the present study showed significant difference according to the Group. In this study, patients that underwent discectomy and interspinous spaceer placement had higher reoperation and recurrence rates than discectomy patients that did not receive an interspinous spacer. Interspinous spacers may increase the rate of disc herniation by maintaining movement at the level of prior disc herniation and changing the physiologic load. More studies are needed to corroborate and evaluate these trends.