OBJECTIVES: To describe the disease management and the cost of patients presenting a diagnosis of sciatica in the hospital perspective. METHODS: We performed a local data base request from the medical information system (PMSI) of the University Hospital of Montpellier. We considered three consecutive years (2006, 2007, 2008) which allowed us to get a follow-up and a traceability of patients over this period. We analyzed a group of patients 18-50 years old admitted across acute care, day care or mid-term care sectors with the following diagnosis codes M 54, M 5415, M 5416 and M 5417 of the ICD-10. RESULTS: A total of 232 patients were selected over the period representing a total of 541 admissions (i.e. 2.3 admissions per patient). The mean ± SD age was 39 ± 8 years female represent 45% of the patients. We observed 175 admissions in acute care ("less than 24 h" admissions excluded) with a mean length of stay of 7 ± 5.2 days. Day-care represents 15.4% of admission in acute care sector. We observed 38 admissions in mid-term care with a mean length of stay of 3 ± 4.8 days. Few patients (3 %) were admitted consecutively in acute care and in mid term care thereafter. Surgery was the reason of first admission for six patients. The cost is estimated at €2055 per patient admitted in an acute care sector. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, we noted a high rate of admission per patient for diagnosis, medical treatment or physical therapy reasons as the main pattern of sciatica management in-hospital. Admissions for surgery were marginal. Our figures are key information to specify management of sciatica and transition probabilities in decision tree models. Thus, we would simulate the impact of innovative medical device on the burden of disease and disclose where are the most prominent societal benefits.