[Percutaneous automated lumbar nucleotomy].
The results of percutaneous automated lumbar nucleotomy in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation were assessed in a series of 39 patients. The technique consists of mechanical decompression of the herniated intervertebral disc without total excision. Only one-space discs were treated by this method. Sciatica was the predominant clinical symptom in 30 cases, and lumbar pain in 9 cases. Good to very good results were obtained in 70% of patients with sciatica and in 55% of patients with lumbar pain. After 4 cases of nucleotomy performed after failure of nucleolysis were excluded, the proportion of very good results rose to 77% in sciatica. Conversely, it seems that a number of failed nucleotomies can be treated by nucleolysis. Nucleotomy is very well tolerated and deserves to be used as first-line treatment of single and radiologically well documented lumbar disc herniations.
Gobin
P
P
Service de Neuroradiologie, CHU Caen.
Théron
J
J
Courtheoux
F
F
Huet
H
H
Chos
D
D
Loyau
G
G
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Nucléotomie lombaire percutanée automatisée.