Closed Drainage versus Non-Drainage for Single-Level Lumbar Disc Surgery: Relationship between Epidural Hematoma and Fibrosis

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective clinical series with prospectively collected data. PURPOSE: The efficacy of using closed suction drains (CSD) after single-level lumbar disc surgery was evaluated. Postoperative CSD are regularly fitted to prevent postoperative epidural hematomas (EH) after multilevel lumbar decompression, although it remains unclear whether CSD also reduces postoperative EH following single-level lumbar disc surgery. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Few articles have addressed the clinical outcome in patients with single-level lumbar disc disease who were treated by two different operative methods (with and without drainage). METHODS: Between 2012 and 2014, 115 patients with a single level discectomy underwent two surgical procedures: with CSD (group A, 60 cases) and without CSD (group B, 55 cases). There were no significant differences in age, sex, segment level, herniation type, or disease duration between the groups. Wound infection, EH, and epidural fibrosis (EF) were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. Pain intensity was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Reduction in analgesic treatment and patient satisfaction were also recorded. RESULTS: The overall rate of postoperative EH was 5% and 16.3% in group A and B, respectively, whereas the rate of postoperative EF was 11.6% in group A and 21.8% in group B. The postoperative VAS score was 0.32 (standard deviation [SD], 0.45) for group A and 2.62 (SD, 06.9) for group B, whereas ODI was 9.11 (SD, 0.68) and 8.23 (SD, 0.78) for group A and and group B, respectively, with no significant differences observed. CONCLUSIONS: In patients operated on by unilateral, single-level lumbar disc surgery, the use of suction CSD into the operation site results in lower levels of EH and EF radiologically, thereby providing a better clinical outcome.