Correlation of Lasègue sign and the straight-leg-raising test with surgical findings in patients with sciatica and lumbar disc herniation

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between maneuversfor stretching the sciatic nerve, as the Lasegue Sign (LS) and the Straight-Leg-Raising Test (SLRT), with surgical findings in patients with sciatica. METHODS: 178 patients with herniated lumbar disc were previously examined by the author through LS and SLRT. Surgical findings were recorded and compared with findings on clinical examination. RESULTS: Of the patients studied, 162 (91%) had positive LS while 118 (66.2%) were positive to SLRT. CONCLUSION: The LS was the most sensitive preoperative physical diagnostic test with respect to intraoperative pathology of lumbar disc herniation.