Effectiveness of a new navigable percutaneous disc decompression device (L'DISQ) in patients with lumbar discogenic pain.
OBJECTIVE
This study is a pilot study to assess the clinical outcomes of percutaneous disc decompression using the L'DISQ in patients with lumbar discogenic pain.


METHODS
An institutional, prospective clinical data analysis.


METHODS
We ablated the torn annulus using L'DISQ on 20 patients with axial low back pain for at least 3 months (average 29 months) unresponsive to conservative management. Before the therapeutic procedure, all the patients had been diagnosed with lumbar discogenic pain through provocation discography, which had confirmed the level of painful discs. The torn annulus was identified through lumbosacral magnetic resonance image and computed tomographic discogram. Baseline data were prospectively gathered before the procedure and at 1, 4, 12, 24, and 48 weeks post-procedure. Data included pain intensity (visual analog scale [VAS]), measure of disability (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] and Rolando-Morris Disability Questionnaire [RM]), and health-related quality of life (Bodily Pain Scale of Short Form-36 version 2 [SF-36 BP]).


RESULTS
At 48 weeks, the VAS fell from 7.55 ± 1.28 to 3.60 ± 2.28 scores, the ODI and RM had decreased significantly, and the SF-36 BP showed significant improvement (P < 0.05). The success rates of procedure were 55.0% at 48 weeks. There were no complications with the exception of a minor venous bleeding at the site of needle puncture.


CONCLUSIONS
The L'DISQ device is specifically designed to ablate adjacent disc tissue using a wand that can be navigated into a torn annulus. Following ablation, we measured clinically significant pain improvement and decreased disability for patients with axial low back pain.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Korea University Medical Center.
Sang Heon
SH
Lee
Richard
R
Derby
Donggeun
D
Sul
Young Ki
YK
Hong
Kang Wook
KW
Ha
Dongwon
D
Suh
Sang Hoon
SH
Lee
Hyung Suk
HS
Yoon
Seung Han
SH
Yoo
Seok Jun
SJ
Lee
Hyeun Jun
HJ
Park
Yong Jin
YJ
Jung
Jeong Eun
JE
Lee
Nack Hwan
NH
Kim
D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055815:Young Adult
Discogenic Pain; Low Back Pain; Percutaneous Decompression