Preoperative factors that influence recovery of leg strength after lumbar microdiscectomy
Official title: Investigation of Preoperative Factors Influencing the Outcome of Motor Deficits in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Microdiskectomy
Run by Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki · NCT07413302 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try to find which before-surgery factors predict how well adults with leg weakness from a herniated lower-back disc get their strength back after microdiscectomy.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki Academic / other |
| Locations | 3 sites (Kavala and 2 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 3, 2024 |
| Main results expected | June 2026 |
| Study ends | December 2026 |
| Registry record updated | February 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07413302 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with a single-level lumbar disc herniation causing lower-limb motor deficit who are scheduled for a single-level microdiscectomy are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients without limb paresis, those with prior lumbar spine surgery, multilevel disease, cauda equina syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, or motor deficits from non-disc causes are unlikely to benefit from this prognostic analysis.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a prospective, multicenter observational prognostic study enrolling adult patients with lower limb paresis caused by a single-level lumbar disc herniation who undergo microdiscectomy at three neurosurgical departments in Greece. The study focuses on two primary preoperative factors—severity of paresis and duration of paresis—and five secondary factors: age, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, anatomical level of the herniated disc, and disc morphology. Muscle strength of the most affected lower-limb muscle will be measured preoperatively and postoperatively using the 0–5 MRC scale to determine change in function. The goal is to identify which preoperative features predict better or worse motor recovery after surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help clinicians predict recovery of leg strength and better inform timing and expectations for microdiscectomy.
How similar studies have gone: Existing studies are limited but generally suggest that more severe and longer-lasting paresis predict worse recovery, so this study builds on modest prior evidence.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients suffering from lower limb paresis (motor deficit) caused by lumbar disk herniation undergoing a single-level microdiskectomy * Age (years) \> 17 Exclusion Criteria: * Age (years) \< 18 * Medical history of lumbar spine surgery * Absence of limb paresis * Motor deficit caused by other than disk herniation aetiologies * Reoperation within 6 months after microdiskectomy * Microdiskectomy at more than one level * Cauda equina syndrome * Peripheral neuropathy
Where it's running
-
General Hospital of Kavala
Kavala, Greece Recruiting -
Hippokration General Hospital
Thessaloniki, Greece Recruiting -
European Interbalkan Medical Center
Thessaloniki, Greece Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Panagiotis Sarlis — Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki
- Study coordinator: Panagiotis Sarlis
- Email: psarlis@gapps.auth.gr
- Phone: +302513501449
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.