[Comparison percutaneous cervical disc nucleoplasty and cervical discectomy for the treatment of cervical disc herniation].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the therapeutic effect of percutaneous cervical disc nucleoplasty (PCN group) and percutaneous cervical discectomy (PCD group) for the treatment of cervical disc herniation.


METHODS
A retrospective study was carried out from July of 2002 to December of 2004, and there were 80 cervical disc herniation cases who were operated by PCN (42 cases) or PCD (38 cases). The time of operation, clinical result and the stability of cervical spine after operation were evaluated and compared between 2 groups.


RESULTS
All cases had been followed up from 6 months to 26 months, average (12 +/- 5) months on the PCN group and (12 +/- 4) months on the PCD group, and there was no significant difference on 2 groups (t = -0.06, P = 0.953). All cases had been successfully operated. There was significant difference in the operation time between 2 groups (t = -21.70, P = 0.000). There was significant difference in the pre- and post-operation scores of each group (PCN group: t = 14.05, P = 0.000; PCD group: t = -14.79, P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in 2 groups of the clinical outcomes (z = -0.377, P = 0.706, > 0.05). There was no instability of cervical spine cases in 2 groups after operation (P > 0.05), and the cervical spine stability was no significant difference in pre- and-operation in each group.


CONCLUSIONS
PCN and PCD for the treatment of cervical disc herniation achieves good outcomes and no difference on the stability of cervical spine. PCN and PCD is a safe, minimally invasive, short time of operation, less traumatic operation and excellent clinical outcome.
Li
Jian
J
Department of Orthopaedics, the Second Municipal People's Hospital, Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510150, China.
Yan
Deng-lu
DL
Gao
Liang-bin
LB
Tan
Ping-xian
PX
Zhang
Zai-heng
ZH
Zhang
Zhi
Z
D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome