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- Talk
- 15/09/2021
- Canada
Return To Play After Symptomatic Lumbar Disc Herniation in Elite Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Operative Versus Non-Operative Treatment
Description
This VTT transcript features a presentation by Phelopater Sedrak, a first-year medical student at the University of Toronto, regarding a systematic review and meta-analysis on the topic "Return to Play After Lumbar Disk Herniation in Elite Athletes." Conducted under the supervision of Dr. Moin Khan at McMaster University, the presentation addresses the prevalence of lumbar disc herniation in elite athletes, which can be as high as 75%, and emphasizes the importance of return to play (RTP) rates, speed of return, and overall performance following surgical versus non-operative treatment.
Sedrak explains that the objective of the systematic review was to compare the two treatment options and assess their outcomes on RTP. The methodology included searching databases like MEDLINE and Embase, leading to the analysis of 20 studies with over 1,000 patients largely male (98.2%) involved in sports such as NFL, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Results indicated similar RTP rates between surgical (83%) and non-surgical (81.5%) groups, with a non-significant difference in time to RTP and RTP periods.
Though surgical treatment showed slightly favorable odds in some studies, there was no significant statistical difference, underscoring the complexity of treatment decisions for athletes. Complications were primarily reported in surgical cases. The analysis suggests a need for clinical consideration of non-operative care options and highlights the necessity for further randomized controlled trials to strengthen the conclusion. Sedrak concludes by reiterating the findings and advocating for a more informed approach to treatment recommendations for elite athletes.