Summary statement: emerging techniques for treatment of degenerative lumbar disc disease.

Abstract

Emerging techniques for management of degenerative disc disease include modern fusion interbody cage devices, intradiscal electrothermal therapy, and disc prostheses among others. The management of discogenic low back pain is controversial: its accurate diagnosis is difficult, and treatment is inconsistent. Before wide application, the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure must be considered in lieu of inadequate study design and the lack of sufficient long-term outcome studies.