title: Cervical discography complications and clinical efficacy.
abstract: To determine the incidence and magnitude of complications of cervical discography as well as to assess the clinical results of operative treatment based on discographic findings, a series of 31 patients who underwent cervical discography was reviewed. Twenty-six patients (84%) experienced provocative concordant symptomatology and were considered positive. The overall complication rate was 13% (4/31), including the development of an acute epidural abscess that led to myelopathy and eventual quadriplegia. Of the twenty-two patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion on the basis of cervical discography, one patient had an excellent result (5%), nine patients had good results (41%), and six patients each had fair and poor results (54%). Diagnostic cervical discography was found not to provide the degree of clinical predictive value necessary to substantiate its potential risks and complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Darden
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015299:Discitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors