title: Clinical Efficacy of Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Annuloplasty and Nucleoplasty for Treatment of Patients with Discogenic Low Back Pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar annuloplasty and nucleoplasty (PELAN) for the treatment of patients with discogenic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective design
  
  
  METHODS
  Spine hospital
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients diagnosed as having discogenic low back pain, who were refractory to conservative treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcomes were assessed using a numeric rating scale for back pain, the Oswestry disability index, and modified MacNab's criteria, at 2-3 weeks and at least 12 months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At long-term follow-up, 33 patients (70%) had successful outcomes for relief of pain, and the same proportion had successful reduction of disability. Although all patients took oral analgesics for pain control before PELAN, 25 (53%) required no analgesics at long-term follow-up. If success is defined as simultaneously achieving greater than 50% reduction in pain, greater than 40% reduction of disability, good or excellent MacNab criteria, and no need for analgesics, 23 patients (49%; with 95% confidence interval of 35-63%) achieved successful outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with discogenic low back pain refractory to conservative treatment, PELAN provided favorable clinical outcomes with success rates that rival those of surgery for this condition.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and j986802@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Jung Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery, Spine Health Wooridul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000601:surgery; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Annuloplasty; Discogenic Pain; Endoscopy; Low Back Pain; Nucleoplasty