Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40511949›Full record

ArticleSpine2026

Preoperative Predictors of Poor Outcomes Following Lumbar Discectomy. A Study Based on the National Finspine Registry.

Antti Saarinen, Eetu Suominen, Liisa Pekkanen, Antti Malmivaara, Jukka Huttunen, Katri Pernaa, Henri Salo, Jussi P Repo

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In one paragraph

Article in Spine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Antti SaarinenDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku.
Eetu SuominenDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku.
Liisa PekkanenDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Hospital Nova of Central Finland, Jyväskylä.
Antti MalmivaaraResearch Unit, Orton Orthopedic Hospital, Helsinki.
Jukka HuttunenDepartment of Neurosurgery, Kuopio University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio.
Katri PernaaDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku.
Henri SaloDepartment of Knowledge Brokers, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki.
Jussi P RepoDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designRetrospective cohort study.

objectiveTo identify predictors for poor outcome after lumbar discectomy for herniated disc.

backgroundLumbar discectomy for herniated disc is a common spinal procedure. Despite the surgical treatment, some patients are left with persistent pain and poor health-related quality of life. We aim to research preoperative predictive factors associated with poor outcome after lumbar discectomy. MATERIALS AND

methodsNational Spine Surgery Registry was searched for patients who underwent primary discectomy for lumbar disc herniation between 2017 and 2022. All patients had a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. The primary outcome was disability at 12 months postoperatively, assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Patients were categorized into satisfactory (ODI: 0-40) and poor outcome groups (ODI: 41-100). Logistic regression was used to identify preoperative predictors of poor outcome. Variables for multivariable analysis were selected based on clinical relevance assessed by senior authors and bivariate associations. Secondary outcomes included pain scores and patient-reported satisfaction.

resultsIn all, 3339 patients were included, of whom 2991 (90%) had minimal to moderate disability and 348 (10%) had severe disability assessed with ODI at the follow-up. Several factors were identified to associate with poor outcome after the surgery: older age (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.03), female sex (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03-1.61), higher body mass index (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02-1.09), cardiologic comorbidity (OR: 4.27, 95% CI: 2.4-7.3), regular preoperative painkiller use (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.5-3.3), and higher number of operated vertebrae (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.6-3.6). Symptom lasting over 1 year was associated with worse outcomes when compared with symptoms for 3 to 12 months (OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.29-0.60), 6 to 12 weeks (OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.12-0.39), and those with symptoms for <6 weeks (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.19-0.62). Employed individuals were significantly associated with better outcomes when compared other statuses. Worse preoperative quality of life scores were associated with poor outcome.

conclusionSeveral preoperative factors were associated with poor outcome after lumbar discectomy. Identifying higher-risk patients-such as those with high BMI, older age, or significant comorbidities-can support preoperative counseling and targeted interventions. Optimizing modifiable factors preoperatively may improve outcomes.

Indexed as

DiskectomyIntervertebral Disc DisplacementLumbar VertebraeAdultAgedCohort StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeRegistriesRetrospective StudiesTreatment Outcomediscectomypoor outcomeregister

Identifiers

PMID40511949
PMCPMC13056403

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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.