title: Percutaneous laser nucleolysis of the intervertebral lumbar disc. An experimental study.
abstract: Percutaneous laser discectomy has developed as a new modality in the treatment of herniated intervertebral discs. An experimental study of percutaneous nucleolysis using a carbon dioxide laser beam was performed in 10 dogs, each dog having 2 intervertebral disc spaces treated, for a total of 20 discs. The intradiscal pressure decreased in all instances with the drop ranging from 10% to 55% at the L2-L3 disc and 40% to 69% at the L4-L5 disc. The macroscopic and microscopic studies showed vaporization of the nucleus pulposus, and in 8 spaces, thermal damage to the end plate was observed. This study suggests that carbon dioxide laser nucleolysis is easy and effective, but 300 J of laser energy can damage the end plates in some intervertebral discs in dogs.
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
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tadmor
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bubis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods*; D004285:Dogs; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D000072042:Salter-Harris Fractures
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide