Results of a clinical trial of the holmium:YAG laser in disc decompression utilizing a side-firing fiber: A two-year follow-up

Autor: G. David Casper, Larry L. Mullins, Valerie L. Hartman
Rok vydání: 1996
Předmět:
Zdroj: Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 19:90-96
ISSN: 1096-9101
0196-8092
DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9101(1996)19:1<90::aid-lsm10>3.0.co;2-f
Popis: Background and Objective Laser-assisted disc decompression (LADD) is an operative technique for the treatment of symptomatic, nonsequestered herniated nucleus pulposus that has failed to respond to conservative treatment. The current study reports 2-year follow-up data. Study Design Materials and Methods: Patients were evaluated by an independent interviewer postoperatively, and at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Ratings were based upon the modified Macnab criteria. All patients evidenced primarily leg pain with or without back pain that had failed a minimum of 6 weeks of conservative treatment. Patients with lateral recess or central stenosis, sequestered discs, or predominantly scar tissue from a previous discectomy were not considered candidates for LADD. Results Utilizing postoperative follow-up at 2 years, a surgical success rate of 86.9% was achieved. For patients requiring an additional LADD procedure, results at 6-month follow-up yielded a surgical success rate of 80%. Conclusion LADD appears to be a viable treatment modality for symptomatic, nonsequestered lumbar disc herniation recalcitrant to conservative treatment. LADD may represent a more cost-effective and safer alternative to traditional surgical procedures. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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