Surgical versus nonoperative treatment for lumbar disc herniation: four-year results for the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT).

ABSTRACT:

Study design

Concurrent, prospective, randomized, and observational cohort study.

Objective

To assess the 4-year outcomes of surgery versus nonoperative care.

Summary of background data

Although randomized trials have demonstrated small short-term differences in favor of surgery, long-term outcomes comparing surgical to nonoperative treatment remain controversial.

Methods

Surgical candidates with imaging-confirmed lumbar intervertebral disc herniation meeting SPORT eligibility criteria enrolled into prospective, randomized (501 participants), and observational cohorts (743 participants) at 13 spine clinics in 11 US states. Interventions were standard open discectomy versus usual nonoperative care. Main outcome measures were changes from baseline in the SF-36 Bo

SUBMITTER: Weinstein JN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2756172 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature