Repeat discectomy and spinal fusion in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation: systematic review of the literature

Objective. To conduct a literature review of studies comparing the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation using discectomy and spinal fusion. Material and Methods. A comprehensive search across four electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Cochrane) was conducted. Studies comparing the outcomes of discectomy and spinal fusion for recurrent lumbar disc herniation were analyzed. Postoperative complications, cost and duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, pain score, and recurrence rate were compared. Results. Ten studies comprising data of 1066 patients met the inclusion criteria. Discectomy was performed in 620 of them, while 446 patients underwent spinal fusion surgery. Discectomy yielded good results in VAS scores for leg and back pain, but after 3–6 months, there was no significant difference compared to spinal fusion. The recurrence rate for discectomy varied from 7.27 % to 22.91 %, while fusion had 0 % same-level recurrence. Fusion surgery had fewer complications: 1.72–28.00 % (average 11.6 %) vs 5.25–32.73 % (average 15.7 %) for discectomy. However, spinal fusion had longer operation time, greater blood loss and longer hospital stay compared to discectomy. Conclusion. Discectomy and spinal fusion are effective treatment options for recurrent lumbar disc herniation. At the same time, discectomy demonstrates a high level of initial relief of symptoms and is more cost-effective. However, the risk of recurrence is significant, and the progression of degeneration and instability may result in pain recurrence within a year. Fusion surgery provides stability and eliminates the risk of recurrence, but the main challenge is the cost of surgery. The choice of technique should be based on individual patient factors, and the advantages and disadvantages of each approach should be carefully considered.