Table 1.
Summary of baseline characteristics in both treatment groups
| Characteristics | Tubular discectomy (N = 110) | Conventional microdiscectomy (N = 106) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 41.0 ± 10.0 | 40.8 ± 11.7 | 0.91 |
| Female sex—no (%) | 53(48) | 48(45) | 0.67 |
| Duration of sciatica (weeks) | 32.6 ± 57.2 | 26.2 ± 22.4 | 0.28 |
| Body mass index (kg/l²) | 25.8 ± 4.3 | 25.3 ± 4.1 | 0.36 |
| Current smoker—no (%) | 37(34) | 44(42) | 0.49 |
| Disc herniation level—no (%) | |||
| L3–L4 | 2(2) | 3(3) | 0.82 |
| L4–L5 | 44(40) | 37(35) | |
| L5–S1 | 64(58) | 66(62) | |
| Roland-Morris disability questionnaire score | 16.2 ± 4.4 | 16.3 ± 4.4 | 0.88 |
| VAS score leg pain (mm) | 61.9 ± 20.6 | 62.3 ± 24.3 | 0.90 |
| VAS score low-back pain (mm) | 39.7 ± 25.5 | 39.9 ± 27.8 | 0.96 |
Plus-minus values are means ± standard deviations
VAS visual analogue scale