Roentgenographic changes in 188 patients 10-20 years after discography and chemonucleolysis.
One hundred eighty-eight patients, 24% of those originally injected, were followed for 10-20 years after chemonucleolysis and discography. An attempt was made to correlate their clinical results with the degenerative changes seen on their follow-up x-rays. No relationship was found. Narrowing of the treated discs were routinely seen early, with little additional narrowing over the subsequent years. No long-term deleterious effects were seen. Discography without chemonucleolysis did not cause degenerative changes in a disc.
D000328:Adult; D002917:Chymopapain / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012585:Sciatica / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D002917:Chymopapain