Petr O, et al. - In this retrospective cohort study, researchers evaluated the impact of time to surgery on their functional outcome in patients with motor deficits (MDs). In a group of patients with acute paresis in a “real-world” setting, the current single-center study presents results of emergency surgery for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). From January 2013 to December 2015, a total of 330 patients with acute paresis caused by LDH acutely referred to the department and surgically treated using microsurgical discectomy were involved. According to findings, body mass index, preoperative MRC-grade, and duration of MDs were identified as significant predictors for paresis recovery at all follow-ups with significant impact on reported outcomes including sciatica and/or dermatomal sensory deficits. In view of the higher neurological recovery rates of acute moderate/severe MDs, the primary option should be immediate surgery.