Lumbar discectomy with lumbar disc implant and its association with quality of life in patients with lumbar disc herniation at a Peruvian military hospital, 2023–2024

<ns3:p>Background Lumbar disc herniation is a frequent cause of low back pain and functional disability in adults, often impairing health-related quality of life. Discectomy with lumbar disc implant is used in selected cases, although its impact on quality-of-life outcomes remains under debate. Objective To determine the association between discectomy with lumbar disc implant and health-related quality of life in adult patients with lumbar disc herniation treated at the Hospital Central de la Fuerza Aérea del Perú between 2023 and 2024. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was performed using medical record review and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) in adult outpatients from Neurosurgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were analyzed using descriptive and analytical methods. Results Ninety-five patients were included; 56 received a lumbar disc implant and 39 did not. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Patients with disc implantation showed higher SF-36 scores, with significant improvements in vitality, emotional role limitations, and mental health. Disc implantation was independently associated with improved quality of life (adjusted PR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.02–2.79), while age and sex showed no significant association. Conclusions Lumbar discectomy with a lumbar disc implant was independently associated with improved quality of life among patients with lumbar disc herniation, while age and sex showed no significant association with this outcome.</ns3:p>