抄録
We conducted a retrospective study on the surgical results of 49 patients with lumbar spinal disorders manifesting drop foot, and assessed the factors influencing surgical outcome. All patients (26 men and 23 women, mean age 56 years) underwent operation between 1997 and 2001, and were followed for more than six months. Surgical results were evaluated according to the manual muscle test of tibialis anterior. The relationship between surgical results and some clinical factors were analyzed. In conclusion, age at surgery is not a significant factor influencing surgical results. Significant factors that determine surgical results are the duration of symptoms before surgery, grade of muscle weakness at surgery and presence of cauda equina syndrome. These results suggest that patients presenting with drop foot and progressive cauda equina syndrome require early surgical treatment.
