Abstract
We reviewed 17 patients (15 males and 2 females) who had undergone re-operations for degenerative lumbar disease. They were operated for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in 12, lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) in 4, and destructive spondyloarthropathy (DSA) in 1. Among the LDH cases, seven were re-operated for recurrence of LDH, and five for postoperative lumbar spinal stenosis. Their symptoms were due to degenerative changes, and additional herniotomy or laminectomy was done with good results. One was combined with root injury during operation. Re-operation proved insufficient for scar formation. In LSCS cases, recurrence of symptoms was due to insufficient decompression as a result of a too narrow laminotomy in the transverse or caudocranial direction. Additional laminectomy and lumbar fusion provided good results. In the DSA case, one of the reasons for incomplete union was insufficient range of spinal fusion. Additional lumbar fusion provided good results.
