Bladder function after surgery for lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion.

Abstract

Urodynamic changes following surgical treatment for lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion were prospectively studied. We evaluated 98 patients with lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion. Urodynamic evaluation was performed in all patients before and after surgery, and included simultaneous measurement of intravesical and abdominal pressure during bladder filling and voiding, and uroflowmetry (pressure flow measurement). Of the 27 patients with detrusor areflexia preoperatively detrusor activity was normal in only 6 after surgical treatment. Of the 71 patients with normal urodynamic findings preoperatively the findings became abnormal after surgery in 7. Bladder function frequently remains unchanged after surgery for lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion.