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TREATMENT OF HERNIATED LUMBAR DİSC W1TH LASER DISCECTOMY *

  • Serhat ERBAYRAKTAR
  • Ünal KİRİŞOĞLU
  • Metin GÜNER
  • Ümit ACAR
  • Tansu MERTOL

J Turk Spinal Surg 1995;6(2):64-68

Percutaneous intradiscal laser nucleotomy is a saf e, minimally invasive and short procedure for treatment of a selected group of patients with herniated lumbar inten/ertebral disc disease. We have been using ihis technique since March 1993. We operated283 cases untilAugust 1995. Among these, 132 patients whose foiiow-up periods were longer than one year was inciuded in this study. Patients seemed to be favoured better in the eariy postoper-ative period when compared with the late follow-up. Aithough 87.3% of the cases had negative Laseque test, the rate for complete reiief of complaints were 68.9%. 5%> of the cases were reoperated with laser nucleotomy, but two ofthem didn't favour and undervvent to laminotomy and disc removal. Open surgery have been proposed in 26 (19.6%,) and 16 of them were operated. Overall improvement in minör motor, sensorial and deep tendon reflex deficits were 70.9%, 67.6% and 48.8%, respectively. We recommend laser nucleotomy as an effect'ıve treatment modality, and it can be performed with a very low complication rate, especially, if the preoperative computerized tomographic seans showing the coordinates for the trajectory of the needle, are available.

Keywords: Intervertebral disc, laser, low back pain, percutaneous nucleotomy.