Characteristics of Pain Syndrome in Patients with Lumbosacral Discogenic Pathology in Post- OPERATIVE PERIOD

Purpose of study . Evaluation of the pain sources and comparative analysis of chronic pain syndrome peculiarities in patients with various types of disc herniation before and after surgical intervention at lumbosacral level. Patients and methods . The study included 80 patients (20-60 years old) with discogenic pathology at lumbosacral level. The type and size of herniation was assessed by MSU classification. Every patient went through a complex evaluation of low back pain sources, pain syndrome characteristics and personality before and on day 10 after surgery. Results. The most common cause of pain was a musculoskeletal syndrome that was more pronounces in the older (41-60 years) group. Neither correlation between the degree of degenerative dystrophic changes and type and size of discogenic pathology, nor the relation between the disc herniation size and type and neurologic symptoms development was detected. The relation between the intensity and other characteristics of pain syndrome and type of disc herniation was not detected too. Analysis of pain syndrome characteristics and mechanisms in complex with the assessment of pain sources revealed the group of patients with high pain and emotionally affected indices before and after surgical intervention and mild vertebrogenic and other pain sources. That group made up 13% of the total number of patients; the majority of them (75%) were females (mean age 37.8±5.0 years) and in 50% of cases the herniation size and localization corresponded to type 2A. Taking into consideration a high degree of disability and other pain indices in postoperative period we do not recommend surgical intervention in this group of patients. Conclusion. Management of patients with lumbosacral intervertebral disc herniation requires the evaluation of all pain sources and pain syndrome aspects.