Post OP Follow up

Spine Surgeon The patient, a 58-year-old female, presented with chronic lumbar radiculopathy affecting her left lower extremity, primarily L5 distribution, characterised by persistent neuropathic pain, numbness, and motor weakness. This significantly impaired her mobility and daily activities. A lumbar microdiscectomy was performed on the left side at the L4-L5 level on 1 November 2023, addressing a disc herniation causing nerve root compression. The procedure aimed to decompress the neural structures and alleviate the patient's symptoms. Currently, the patient reports significant improvement in her left leg pain and numbness, noting a reduction from an 8/10 to 2/10 on the pain scale. She experiences less difficulty with ambulation and reports an overall improvement in her quality of life post-operation. Plan: The patient is to be discharged from surgical follow-up today. She will continue with outpatient physiotherapy for strengthening and functional rehabilitation. No further surgical intervention is anticipated at this time. Initial presentation involved a several-month history of debilitating left leg pain, unresponsive to conservative management including analgesics and physical therapy. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) confirmed a significant L4-L5 disc herniation compressing the L5 nerve root. Surgical intervention was pursued given the severity and persistence of symptoms. Post-operatively, the patient experienced a brief period of urinary retention requiring catheterisation for 24 hours, which resolved spontaneously. There were no emergency department visits related to the surgery. On physical examination, the patient exhibits a normal gait with no antalgic favouring. Neurological examination reveals full motor strength (5/5) in the left lower extremity and improved sensation in the L5 dermatome. There are no nerve root tension signs. The operative scar is well-healed, non-tender, and cosmetically acceptable. The patient expresses high satisfaction with the surgical outcome, stating she is very pleased with the significant reduction in pain and improved function. The final discharge plan involves complete discharge from surgical follow-up. The patient has an ongoing appointment with her general practitioner for routine care and has been advised to continue her home exercise program. No open appointments are scheduled with the surgical team. Kind regards Yours sincerely