Purpose: Persistent radiculopathy secondary to lumbar disc herniation is a common problem that greatly compromises quality of life. In North America, lumbar discectomies are among the most common elective surgical procedures performed. There is still much debate about when conservative or surgical treatments should be offered to patients. Although the related literature is comprehensive, there are limited systematic reviews on the prognostic factors predicting the outcome of lumbar discectomy. The purpose of this review is to define the preoperative factors predicting clinical outcome after lumbar discectomy.

Method: We conducted a computerized literature search using Ovid Medline and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included randomized controlled trials or prospective studies dealing with lumbar disc surgery. The preoperative predictors had to be clearly identified and correlated with outcome measures in terms of pain, disability, work capacity, analgesia consumption, or a combination of these measures. We assessed the articles as high or low quality studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale, and summarized the results of High Quality Studies.

Results: A total of 39 articles were included. The two most prominent negative predictors were Workers’ Compensation status and depression according to 6 studies. Poor predictors reported in 4 articles were female gender, increasing age, and prolonged duration of leg or back pain. Lower education level, smoking, and higher levels of psychological complaints were negative predictors in 3 articles. A positive Lasègue sign was a positive predictor in 7 articles. Absence of back pain, positive patient expectations, and higher income were good prognostic factors in 3 studies. Patients with contained herniations did worse than those who had uncontained disc extrusions and sequestrations according to 4 studies. The level of herniation was not a predictive factor in 7 studies.

Conclusion: Workers’ Compensation, depression, greater back versus leg pain, increasing age, female gender, contained herniations, and prolonged symptoms predict unfavourable postoperative outcomes after lumbar discectomy. Positive Lasègue sign, higher income, uncontained herniations, and positive patient expectations predict favourable postoperative outcomes. The level of herniation is not an established prognostic factor. The results of this review provide a preliminary framework for patient selection for lumbar disc surgery.

Little is known about the psychological morbidity associated with orthopaedic trauma. Our study aimed to determine the extent of psychological symptoms and whether patient psychological symptoms were predictive of outcomes following orthopaedic trauma. Overall, trauma patients experienced higher intensity of psychological symptoms than population norms. Psychological symptoms, patient age, and ongoing litigation predicted functional outcomes. Patients may benefit from early interventions by social workers and psychologists to process their psychological states post injury.

Little is known about the psychological morbidity associated with orthopaedic trauma.

Our study aimed to determine the extent of psychological symptoms and whether patient psychological symptoms were predictive of outcomes following orthopaedic trauma.

All patients attending ten orthopaedic fracture clinics at three University-affiliated Hospitals were approached for study eligibility. All consenting patients would be requested to complete a baseline assessment form, a 90-item symptom checklist-90R (SCL-90R), and the Short-Form–36. The SCL-90R constitutes nine dimensions (Somatization, Obsessive-compulsive, Interpersonal sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Phobic anxiety, Paranoid ideation, Psychoticism) and three global indices (Global severity index, Positive symptom distress index, positive symptom total). We conducted regression analyses to determine predictors of quality of life among study patients.

Of two hundred and fifteen patients, 59% were male at a mean age of 44.5 years. Over half of patients had lower extremity fractures. Trauma patients experienced greater psychological symptoms than population norms. Overall, trauma patients experienced higher intensity of psychological symptoms than population norms. Patient functional outcomes were predicted by patient age, ongoing litigation, and Positive Symptom Distress. This model predicted 21% of the variance in patient function. Patient somatization was an important psychological symptom resulting in increasing intensity of symptoms. Smoking, alcohol, open fracture, surgeons’ perception of technical outcome, level of education, and time since injury were not predictive in this model.

Psychological symptoms, patient age, and ongoing litigation predicted functional outcomes. Patients may benefit from early interventions by social workers and psychologists to process their psychological states post injury.

Funding: This study was funded in part by research grants from AO North America and Regional Medical Associates, McMaster University. Dr. Bhandari was funded, in part, by a 2004 Detweiler Fellowship, Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Busse is funded by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Fellowship Award.

Introduction: Little is known about the psychological morbidity associated with orthopaedic trauma.

Purpose: Our study aimed to determine the extent of psychological symptoms and whether patient psychological symptoms were predictive of outcomes following orthopaedic trauma.

Methods: All patients attending 10 orthopaedic fracture clinics at 3 University-affiliated Hospitals were approached for study eligibility. All consenting patients would be requested to complete a baseline assessment form, a 90-item symptom checklist-90R (SCL-90R), and the Short-Form–36. The SCL-90R constitutes 9 dimensions (Somatization, Obsessive-compulsive, Interpersonal sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Phobic anxiety, Paranoid ideation, Psychoticism) and three global indices (Global severity index, Positive symptom distress index, positive symptom total). We conducted regression analyses to determine predictors of quality of life among study patients.

Results: Of 215 patients, 59% were male at a mean age of 44.5 years. Over half of patients had lower extremity fractures. Trauma patients experienced greater psychological symptoms than population norms. Overall, trauma patients experienced higher intensity of psychological symptoms than population norms. Patient functional outcomes were predicted by patient age, ongoing litigation, and Positive Symptom Distress. This model predicted 21% of the variance in patient function. Patient somatization was an important psychological symptom resulting in increasing intensity of symptoms. Smoking, alcohol, open fracture, surgeons’ perception of technical outcome, level of education, and time since injury were not predictive in this model.

Conclusions: Psychological symptoms, patient age, and ongoing litigation predicted functional outcomes. Patients may benefit from early interventions by social workers and psychologists to process their psychological states post injury.