Research Information System
JOURNAL OF PIONEERING MEDICAL SCIENCES, vol.13, no.6, pp.120-125, 2024 (ESCI)
Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of corticosteroid use during lumbar microdiscectomy surgery on the development of epidural fibrosis. Epidural fibrosis is a common postoperative complication that can increase the risk of pain recurrence and surgical failure. Corticosteroids are used during surgery for their anti-inflammatory properties, aiming to reduce fibrosis formation. However, the effectiveness of corticosteroids in preventing fibrosis remains controversial.
Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 359 patients who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy surgery between 2011 and 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (corticosteroid used during surgery) with 201 patients and Group B (no corticosteroid used during surgery) with 158 patients. The development of fibrosis was assessed through clinical follow-up and imaging studies. Results In Group A, fibrosis developed in 2 out of 201 patients (0.99%), while in Group B, fibrosis developed in 5 out of 158 patients (3.16%). Statistical analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of fibrosis development (P=0.140).
Conclusion: This study found no statistically significant effect of corticosteroid use during lumbar microdiscectomy on the prevention of epidural fibrosis. Additionally, no severe postoperative complications were observed in either group. Further extensive studies are required to better understand the long-term effects and potential side effects of corticosteroids. Future research should investigate different types of corticosteroids and application protocols in more detail.