Improvement of hip abductor muscle weakness after lumbar decompressive surgery

Figures & data

Table I. Improvement of hip abductor muscle strength.

	LDH (n = 11)	LSCS (n = 15)
Age, years	56 ± 18	72 ± 7
Mean preoperative muscle strength, arbitrary units, 0–5	2.7	2.6
Mean postoperative muscle strength, arbitrary units, 0–5	4.8	4.3
Improvement rate (%)	92	68

The mean age between groups at the time of surgery was significantly different (P = 0.02). The improvement rates between LDH and LSCS groups were not significantly different (P = 0.054).

LDH = lumbar disc herniation; LSCS = lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

Figure 1. Schemata of surgeries. These schemata show decompression of the right side. The shaded area is the decompressed area. The wide fenestration decompressed the dura and nerve root in the entry zone (left). The wide fenestration and lateral fenestration decompressed the dura and nerve root in the entry, mid, and exit zones (right).

Table II. Muscle strength (7).

Grade, arbitrary units	Characteristic
5	Active movement against full resistance
4	Active movement against gravity and some resistance
3	Active movement against gravity
2	Active movement with gravity eliminated
1	Trace movement or barely detectable contraction
0	No muscular contraction identified

Figure 2. Changes in muscle strength. Twenty-three cases improved postoperatively including seventeen cases with a complete recovery. Muscle strength improved from 2 to 5 in eight cases, from 3 to 5 in five cases, from 4 to 5 in four cases, from 2 to 4 in four cases, from 3 to 4 in one case, and from 2 to 3 in one case. Preop = preoperative. Postop = postoperative.

Bates B. A guide to physical examination and history taking. 5th ed. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott; 1991.

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