The Association Between Early Postoperative Leg Pain Intensity and Disability at 1-Year and 2-Year Follow-Up After First-Time Lumbar Discectomy.

Study Design: Longitudinal cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate whether a cutoff point in leg pain intensity measured preoperatively or at early follow-up could identify patients at risk of poor outcomes in terms of disability at 1-year and 2-year follow-up after first-time lumbar discectomy, and to identify the characteristics associated with early postoperative leg pain intensity.

Methods: From 2010 to 2013, 556 patients underwent lumbar discectomy.

Usefulness of the STarT Back Screening Tool to predict pain problems after lumbar spine surgery.

Introduction: The Subgroups for Targeted Treatment (STarT) Back Screening Tool is used in general practice to stratify patients with acute back pain into either a low, medium or a high risk of developing complex pain. This study determines if the STarT Back Screening Tool can identify patients who are at a high risk of developing complex pain after spine surgery.

Methods: The STarT Back Screening Tool was administered pre-operatively to a consecutive series of patients who had lumbar spine surgery between 29 October 2012 and 1 February 2013.