title: Percutaneous Lumbar Disc Decompression Using the Dekompressor: A Prospective Long-Term Outcome Study.
abstract: Few studies have investigated the long-term efficacy of percutaneous lumbar disc decompression (PLDD) with Dekompressor (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI) for discogenic radicular pain that has failed conservative management.
  
  
  
  Determine long-term outcomes of Dekompressor PLDD for discogenic radicular pain.
  
  
  
  Prospective cohort study at a tertiary academic spine center of consecutive patients (12/2004-11/2005) with discogenic lumbosacral radicular pain who underwent PLDD with Dekompressor. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) leg pain score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score data were collected at 6 months and 1 year. These two measures, 5-point Likert scale patient satisfaction, and surgical rate data were collected at 8 years.
  
  
  
  Seventy patients underwent PLDD. Forty and 25 patients were successfully contacted at 1-year and 8-year follow-up, respectively. Using intention to treat analysis, at 1 year and 8 years, NRS leg pain scores were reduced >50% in 47% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35%, 59%) and 29% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18%, 40%) of patients, respectively; ODI score improved >30% in 43% (CI 32%, 55%) and 26% (CI 19%, 41%) of patients, respectively. Of the patients who followed up at 8 years, 36% (CI 17%, 55%) had undergone surgery and the median satisfaction was "4" (interquartile range 2,5).
  
  
  
  While limited by loss-to-follow-up, this study suggests that treatment of discogenic lumbosacral radicular pain with Dekompressor results in decreased leg pain and disability and favorable satisfaction at long-term follow-up. Further study with adequate follow-up retention is needed to confirm that Dekompressor spares open spinal surgery.
authors.affiliation: *Department of PM&R, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine/the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; zmccormi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zachary L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.affiliation: No Institutional Affiliation, Miami, Florida;
authors.forename: Curtis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Slipman
authors.affiliation: Department of PM&R, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
authors.forename: Ashot
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotcharian
authors.affiliation: Department of PM&R, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland;
authors.forename: Akhil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chhatre
authors.affiliation: No Institutional Affiliation, Springfield, Illinois;
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Hunterdon Orthopedic Institute, Flemington, New Jersey;
authors.forename: Aleya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salam
authors.affiliation: Center for Joint and Spine Relief, Jersey City, New Jersey;
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menkin
authors.affiliation: **Department of Orthopaedics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Department of PM&R, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plastaras
keywords: Discectomy; Intervertebral Disc; Low Back Pain; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Percutaneous; Radiculopathy