Percutaneous Discectomy of Herniated Intervertebral Disc with a Dekompressor(R) / 대한통증학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Radicular pain, associated with herniated intervertebral disc, has been treated with either conservative treatments or a traditional surgical discectomy. Several modalities for minimally invasive percutaneous procedures have been developed as alternatives to a surgical discectomy. Percutaneous decompression using a Dekompressor(R) probe has been recently introduced. Herein, we report the outcome of percutaneous decompression with a Dekompressor(R) for the treatment of a herniated intervertebral disc. METHODS: Between August 2004 and April 2005, percutaneous decompression was performed using a Dekompressor(R), 1.5-mm percutaneous lumbar discectomy probe in 17 patients with a herniated lumbar intervertebral disc resistant to conservative treatments, with the results reviewed retrospectively. The procedure was performed under fluoroscopic guidance after local anesthesia. Disc access was gained with a posterolateral approach on the symptomatic side and intradiscal placement of the discectomy probe in the herniated disc confirmed from the anteroposterior and lateral views on the fluoroscopy. RESULTS: We obtained satisfactory clinical results in 14 patients with a decrease in the initial Visual analogue scale (VAS) of more than 55% and the elimination or reduction of analgesic medication, with a follow-up of 3 to 11 months. CONCLUSION: We concluded that a percutaneous discectomy with a Dekompressor(R) probe might be an effective alternative for the treatments of painful disc herniations resistant to conservative managements when performed under proper selection criteria.