Abstract

Aim: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is most commonly treated with microdiscectomy as the surgical approach of choice. However, several complications may arise during lumbar microdiscectomy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate dural injury as a complication observed in patients who underwent microdiscectomy for LDH.
Materials and Methods: The clinical records of patients who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy between January 2023 and January 2025 were retrospectively reviewed. Only patients operated on for single-level and unilateral LDH were included in the study. Patients with two-level disc herniation, recurrent LDH, bilateral LDH, or other spinal pathologies requiring surgery were excluded from the analysis.
Results: The study included 73 patients, consisting of 45 males and 28 females. The mean age of all patients who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy was 48.45 years, with a median age of 46 years. The mean age of male patients was 49.97 years (median 46), while the mean age of female patients was 46 years (median 45.5). Among the patients examined, dural injury was detected in a total of 7 cases, 4 of whom were male and 3 were female. The incidence of dural injury was 8.89% in male patients and 10.71% in female patients. The overall dural injury rate was 9.6% (7/73).
Conclusion: In our study, the incidence of dural injury following microdiscectomy was not found to be statistically significant and remained within an acceptable range. Further prospective, multicenter studies with larger cohorts are needed to better define risk factors and prevention strategies for incidental durotomy in lumbar microdiscectomy. The most effective way to prevent complications that may occur during lumbar microdiscectomy is meticulous attention before, during, and after the surgical procedure.

Key words: Lumbar microdiscectomy, complication, dural injury, cerebrospinal fluid fistula, spinal