Percutaneous carbon dioxide laser nucleolysis with 2- to 5-year followup.

Nerubay, J; Caspi, I; Levinkopf, M · Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1997

prospective_cohort · Level II

Where this comes from

Abstract

A prospective study of 50 patients with low back and radicular pain caused by an L4-L5 protruded disc were treated by percutaneous laser nucleolysis with a carbon dioxide laser. The followup ranged from 2 to 5 years, and all the patients were evaluated clinically and by imaging with computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance images before and after the procedure. According to the Macnab criteria, 74% of the patients had excellent or good results and 26% had fair or poor results. The laser disc decompression opens up new options in the treatment of discogenic pain, but it is still an experimental procedure.

Medical subject headings

Anatomy