title: Provocation discography as a guide to planning operations on the spine.
abstract: In a prospective study we attempted to define the role of lumbar discography in the investigation of patients with low back pain with or without non-dermatomal pain in the lower limb. The records of 195 patients were studied at least two years after a technically successful operation. Of 137 patients in whom discography had revealed disc disease and provoked symptoms, 89% derived significant and sustained clinical benefit from operation. Of 25 patients whose discs showed morphological abnormality but had no provocation of symptoms on discography only 52% had clinical success. These findings support the continued use of lumbar discography for the investigation of this particular group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, England.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colhoun
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Cassar Pullicino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013131:Spine / Q000601:surgery