TY - JOUR T1 - Early surgery was better than conservative care for short-term disability and pain in sciatica JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 185 LP - 185 DO - 10.1136/ebm.13.6.185 VL - 13 IS - 6 A2 - , Y1 - 2008/12/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/13/6/185.abstract N2 - W C PeulDr W C Peul, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands; w.c.peul@lumc.nlDesign:randomised controlled trial.Allocation:{concealed}*.†Blinding:unblinded.†Setting:9 hospitals in the Netherlands.Patients:283 patients 18–65 years of age (mean age 43 y, 66% men) who had 6–12 weeks of sciatica diagnosed by a neurologist, disc herniation with nerve root compression confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, and pain distribution and neurological disturbances correlated to the same nerve root. Exclusion criteria included cauda-equina syndrome, severe paresis, same complaints within 12 months, and history of spinal surgery, spinal stenosis, deformity, or severe comorbidity.Intervention:early surgery (n = 141), which included removal of disc herniation using a unilateral transflaval approach and removal of loose degenerated disc material, or conservative care (n = 142) provided by family … ER -