Introduction:

Intervertebral disc disorders (IDDs) are being commonly observed nowadays among the young and middle aged population.

Objectives:

This hospital record based study was done to study the risk factors, clinical presentation, imaging findings and management practices among patients with all types of IDDs.

Methods:

A validated proforma was used to obtain information of patients confirmed with IDDs over the past three years.

Results:

Mean age at onset of disc disorders among the 219 patients was 44.7±14.2 years. History of poor exercising habits were present among 72(32.9%) patients.

The most common site of disc involvement was L4-L5 [151(68.9%)]. 143(65.3%) patients had single site disc involvement. The most common clinical symptom was lower back pain [180(82.2%)]. Nerve root compression was present among 154(70.3%) patients. Disc bulge, protrusion, extrusion and sequestration were present among 116(53%), 90(41.1%), 52(23.7%) and 4(1.8%) patients respectively.

Age at onset >65 years (p=0.035), age at onset ≤55 years (p=0.004) and history of direct impact to the neck region (p=0.017) were associated with disc prolapse at L2-L3 level, L4-L5 level and C5-C6 level respectively, among patients with single site disc involvement.

Risk of multiple level disc involvement was found to increase after 35 years (p<0.001). It was seen more involving cervical vertebrae (p=0.0068).

Lumbar (p<0.0001) and lumbosacral vertebrae (p<0.0001) involvement were seenmore among patients with single site disc involvement.

NSAIDs [155(70.8%)] were the most the commonly used medication. Microdiscectomy was done among 35(76.1%) out of the 46 patients who underwent surgical management.

Conclusions:

Exercising habits need to be encouraged among people for the prevention of IDDs. The various high risk groups identified in this study need to be periodically screened for IDDs.

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