Objective:

Recurrent lumbar disc herniation (RLDH) is one of the major causes of failure for primary surgery. Repeat discectomy (RD) and spinal fusion (SF) are two surgical options for RLDH. The objective of our study is to compare the effectiveness of SF compared with RD in the treatment of RLDH.

Methods:

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Ovid Medline for studies (published between Jan 1, 1959 and July 8, 2022; no language restriction) comparing SF and RD for the RLDH. Odds ratio and weighted mean difference were calculated for binary outcomes and continuous outcomes. The quality of each outcome was graded using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) criteria.

Results:

We identified 5029 studies, of which 11 studies were included. There were two RCTs and the remaining were observational studies. Comparing SF and RD groups, no differences were found in visual analogue scales (VAS) for leg and back and Oswestry disability Index (ODI). Furthermore, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores of SF were significantly higher than the RD group. In terms of complications, the incidence of neurological deficit, segmental instability, and re-recurrence is significantly lower with SF than with the RD group. Lastly, the SF group was associated with longer hospital stays and operation time, and more blood loss.

Conclusions:

The pooled evidence suggests that fusion achieves better results than repeat discectomy for RLDH. The results of this review should be further confirmed by future high-quality RCTs.