title: Treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation using C-arm fluoroscopy guided target percutaneous laser disc decompression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of target percutaneous laser disc decompression (T-PLDD) for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  PLDD using the Nd:YAG laser has been regarded as an effective alternative treatment for disc herniation. However, all the previous studies were concentrated on vaporizing the nucleus pulposus in the intervertebral space. We hypothesize that insertion of the needle into the extruded part of the nucleus pulposus will decrease its volume and provide superior clinical effects compared to therapies that decrease the volume of the intradiscal nucleus pulposus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 25 patients suffering from posterolateral extruded but nonsequestered lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were treated with T-PLDD. After treatment, the patients were followed up and the therapeutic effect was assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months using the modified MacNab criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The success rate was 80.0% (18 of 25), 88.0% (22 of 25), 92.0% (23 of 25), and 92.0% (23 of 25) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months respectively. No serious complications occurred in any of the patients. Furthermore, we did not observe any neurological sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T-PLDD can significantly decrease pain and improve function of patients who have extruded but nonsequestered lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhi-Jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yong-Guang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wen-Ge
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome