Low Back Pain Rating scale is an index scale which includes measurements of pain intensity, disability, and physical impairment. The scale was designed to monitor the outcome of clinical trials of low back pain treatment. It has been validated in 58 patients following first-time discectomy. The scale rating can be rapidly carried out and requires no special aids. With slight modification it can be used in office and telephone interviews, as well as postal questionnaires. These modifications only slightly reduce the quantity of information gathered. In the study, a high rater agreement (97.7%) was found without level difference between two observers using the scale. The validation process included: construct validity, criterion-related validity and item bias, relative to Global Assessments pronounced by the patient and an experienced clinician. Low Back Pain Rating scale hs been shown to be valid and reliable in the assessment of low back pain.

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Ninety three patients undergoing their first conventional hemilaminectomy for lumbar disc protusion were randomized to a double blind clinical trial. Half of the patients were treated immediately following surgery with prednisolone; 50 mg per day for fourteen days and then 25 mg per day for another 14 days. The other patients were treated for the same time period with placebo tablets. Assessments using subjective and objective outcome criteria at 26 weeks, 52 weeks and 156 weeks of follow-up, demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the randomized groups. It is concluded that systemic prednisolone administration in the pre- and postoperative period does not in this study improve the clinical outcome after first time lumbar discectomy.

Free fat transplantation can reduced the degree of dural scar tissue after operation for lumbar disc herniation but does not result in a clinically better outcome.