ReviewDeutsches Arzteblatt international2024
Lumbar Disc Herniation—the Significance of Symptom Duration for the Indication for Surgery.
Review in Deutsches Arzteblatt international, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
44 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Efficacy of ozone with steroid injection therapy in lumbar disc herniation: meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Therapeutic interventions of platelet-rich plasma versus corticosteroid injections for lumbar radicular pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Pooled it
- Decompression with interbody fusion versus decompression alone for degenerative lumbar diseases: A meta-analysis.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- AO Spine Clinical Practice Recommendations: When to Operate in Lumbar Disc Herniation.Global spine journal · 2026Review
- Lumbar disc herniation with giant extruded or sequestered morphology: feasibility of a conservative-first strategy and the stratification value of contrast-enhanced MRI.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Article
- Unilateral Bi-portal Endoscopic Spinal Surgery for Lumbar Disk Herniation and Canal Stenosis: Technical Nuances and Fellowship-Based Clinical Experience.Journal of orthopaedic case reports · 2026Article
- Interventional radiology management of disc herniation: a narrative review.La Radiologia medica · 2026Review
- [Lumbar disc herniation].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026Review
- Risk factors for residual low back pain at twelve months after low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation in lumbar disc herniation: a retrospective cohort study.International orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Beyond Structural Pathology: Central Sensitization and Chronic Pain with Reference to Lumbar Disc Herniation-A Narrative Review.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- Lumbar Disc Herniation: What's New in Surgical Treatment.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2026Article
- [Lumbar Disc Herniation: What's New in Surgical Treatment].Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2026Article
- A novel transparent visual channel translates into enhanced surgical safety and efficiency for prolapsed lumbar disc herniation: a comparative clinical study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026Article
- Article
- Creatine kinase level elevation as a marker for motor deficits and symptom duration in lumbar disc herniation patients.Acta neurochirurgica · 2026Observational
- Comparison of short-term clinical efficacy between percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy and unilateral biportal endoscopy in the treatment of upper lumbar disc herniation.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- Long-term recovery of cauda equina syndrome and sexual dysfunction following delayed decompression of a giant lumbar disc herniation: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2026Article
- Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Management of Pregnancy-Related Chronic Back Pain.Current pain and headache reports · 2026Review
- Changes in serum pain mediators, stress response, inflammatory markers, and coagulation function in lumbar disc herniation patients treated by musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided needle-knife.Journal of medical biochemistry · 2026Article
- Endoscopic discectomy for L4-L5 disc herniation: A meta-analysis comparing transforaminal and interlaminar approaches.Brain & spine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLumbar disc surgery is among the more common spinal procedures. In this paper, we report the current treatment recommendations for patients with symptomatic disc herniation.
methodsThis review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective literature search in PubMed using the terms [timing] AND [lumbar disc herniation], supplemented by other relevant articles and guidelines.
resultsSymptoms resolve in 60% to 80% of patients with herniated discs in 6-12 weeks, and in 80% to 90% over the long term (≥ 1 year). According to the guidelines, 6-12 weeks of conservative treatment are recommended in the absence of significant neu - rologic deficits. Early surgery is indicated in case of worsening pain or new onset of neurologic deficits. Lumbar disc herniation associated bladder or bowel dysfunction (cauda equina syndrome) is considered an absolute surgical emergency that requires immediate decompression (within 24 to 48 hours). Patients with severe motor deficits (MRC ≤ 3/5) benefit from early intervention and should be offered surgery within three days, if possible, for the best chance of recovery. The degree of weakness and the duration of symptoms have been identified as risk factors for incomplete recovery. Early surgery can be considered in patients with mild paresis (MRC 4/5) in case of functional impairment (e.g., quadriceps paresis).
conclusionLonger symptom duration and lower motor scores are associated with worse outcome and a lower chance of neurologic recovery. The recovery rate for motor deficits ranges from 33% to 75%, depending on the timing and modality of treatment as well as the motor score.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.