title: Percutaneous automated lumbar nucleotomy.
abstract: 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.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gobin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Theron
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Courtheoux
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loyau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery*; D007404:Intervertebral Disc Chemolysis; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012585:Sciatica / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy