OBJECTIVE: Quality of life is becoming more important within the concept of health care. Although clinical outcome still plays a big role in outcome measurement, patients' perceptions and understanding of their own health is being considered as significant. There are many measurement tools used for many diseases and surgical interventions today, including lumbar disc surgery.

MATERIALS:We review the most common generic and disease-specific Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) scales, which can be used to measure the outcomes of patients who have undergone lumbar disc surgery.

CONCLUSION: The aim of lumbar disc surgery should be not only to maintain the clinical outcome but to improve quality of life as well. Outcome measurement scales should be useful for assessing the outcome regarding health related quality of life.