title: Percutaneous carbon dioxide laser nucleolysis with 2- to 5-year followup.
abstract: A prospective study of 50 patients with low back and radicular pain caused by an L4-L5 protruded disc were treated by percutaneous laser nucleolysis with a carbon dioxide laser. The followup ranged from 2 to 5 years, and all the patients were evaluated clinically and by imaging with computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance images before and after the procedure. According to the Macnab criteria, 74% of the patients had excellent or good results and 26% had fair or poor results. The laser disc decompression opens up new options in the treatment of discogenic pain, but it is still an experimental procedure.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Deformities Unit, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nerubay
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levinkopf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide