title: Results of Charité artificial lumbar disc replacement: experience in 43 Thais.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the results of artificial lumbar disc replacement in Thai patients with degenerative disc disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study had been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of artificial lumbar disc replacement in patients from October 2004 to December 2007. Oswestry disability index (ODI) score and visual analogic scale (VAS) for pain had been used to assess the clinical result before and after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty three patients diagnosed as degenerative lumbar disc disease underwent 50 artificial lumbar disc replacement. All patients markedly improved in both ODI and VAS. The mean ODI score decreased from 60.9% preoperative to only 9.8% postoperative. The VAS score also decreased from 7.44 to 1.3 at the final follow up period. No serious complication found from this procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated a good short term, a critical outcome of Charité artificial lumbar disc replacement in Thai patient with degenerative lumbar disc disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Hat Yai Regional Hospital, Hat Yai, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pairoj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Warachit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013785:Thailand; D013997:Time Factors