Return to flight duty (RTFD) after posterior lumbar spine surgery for symptomatic lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis (LIS) in Chinese military pilots

Table 4 Characteristics of retired pilot and patients who failed to return to flight duty (RTFD)

Age	Rating	Diag	Type of surgery	Op	Level	Implant	Time to SSR (days)	Reason for Failure	Rotary or Fixed Wing	Aircraft
49	1st	LDH	Decompression with fusion	TILF^*	L3-5	PSS and cage	191	Retire	Fixed	Transport
38	1st	LDH	Decompression with fusion	TILF	L4-5	PSS and cage	210	ACL injury	Rotary	Helicopter
25	3rd	LDH	Isolated decompression	OFD	L5-S1	—	362	ACL injury	Fixed	Fighter
31	2nd	LDH	Isolated decompression	MED	L5-S1	—	—	Residual symptoms	Fixed	Transport
22	3rd	LDH	Isolated decompression	MED	L4-5	—	—	Residual symptoms	Fixed	Fighter
38	1st	LDH	Isolated decompression	PELD	L5-S1	—	—	Residual symptoms	Rotary	Helicopter
38	1st	LIS	Decompression with fusion	TILF	L5-S1	PSS and cage	—	FBSS	Fixed	Jet trainer

Diag, diagnosis; Op, operation; SSR, spine surgery recommendation; LDH, lumbar disc herniation; LIS, lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis; TILF, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion; PSS, pedicle screw system; ACL, anterior cruciate ligament; MED, microendoscopic discectomy; PELD, percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy; OFD, open fenestration discectomy; ^*Revision surgery

ISSN: 1471-2474