Cervical epidural steroid injections for symptomatic disc herniations

OBJECTIVES: Cervical disc herniations are a common cause of radicular pain from nerve root impingement and may necessitate surgical decompression to alleviate symptoms. The use of cervical epidural injections has not been studied in detail. The objective of this retrospective study was to examine the efficacy of cervical epidural steroid injections for the treatment of symptomatic herniated cervical discs. METHODS: Patients with herniated cervical discs without myelopathy that had failed conservative management and were otherwise surgical candidates were offered a trial of cervical epidural injections. The results and benefits of the injections were examined as well as the incidence of proceeding to surgical intervention. RESULTS: Of the 70 treated patients, 44 (63%) had significant relief of their symptoms and did not wish to proceed with surgical treatment. Of the 26 patients who underwent surgical decompression, 92% had successful resolution of their symptoms. The nonsurgical and surgical groups were similar in terms of gender, preinjection symptoms, or number of injections. However, significant differences between the two groups were found with regard to age (P<0.05) and time from initial consultation to initial injection (P<0.05). With an average of 13-month follow-up, 45 (65.3%) patients reported a good/excellent result per Odom criteria. In addition, 53 (75%) would attempt cervical epidural steroid injections again in the future. No complications were noted in our series. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical epidural injections are a reasonable part of the nonoperative treatment of patients with symptomatic cervical disc herniations. The success rates appear to be very similar to prior studies of lumbar epidural injections for symptomatic lumbar disc herniations. It appears that a large percentage of the patients may obtain relief from radicular symptoms and avoid surgery for the follow-up period up to 1 year. In addition, patients older than 50 years and those who received the injections earlier, less than 100 days from diagnosis, seemed to have a more favorable outcome.     

Epidural injections for the treatment of symptomatic lumbar herniated discs

Epidural steroid injections are widely used as part of the conservative care for symptomatic herniated lumbar discs. There are studies showing their effectiveness, and some studies demonstrating no clinical benefits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of epidural steroid injections for patients with symptomatic lumbar disc herniations who were surgical candidates. Sixty-nine patients were diagnosed with a herniated disc in the lumbar spine and remained symptomatic despite conservative care, and were treated with an epidural injection in an attempt to avoid surgical discectomy. Of the total group of 69 patients (average age = 44.8 years, range 19-77 years, average follow-up = 1.5 years), 53 (77%) had successful resolution or significant decrease of their symptoms and were able to avoid surgery. Only 16 (23%) patients failed to have significant relief of their symptoms and required surgical treatment of their herniated disc. Epidural steroid injections have a reasonable success rate for the alleviation of radicular symptoms from lumbar herniated discs for up to twelve to twenty-seven months. Patients treated with injections may be able to avoid surgical treatment up to this period and perhaps even longer.     

Surgery versus conservative management of sciatica due to a lumbar herniated disc: a systematic review

The effectiveness of surgery in patients with sciatica due to lumbar disc herniations is not without dispute. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of surgery versus conservative therapy (including epidural injections) for patients with sciatica due to lumbar disc herniation. A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and PEDro up to October 2009. Randomised controlled trials of adults with lumbar radicular pain, which evaluated at least one clinically relevant outcome measure (pain, functional status, perceived recovery, lost days of work) were included. Two authors assessed risk of bias according to Cochrane criteria and extracted the data. In total, five studies were identified, two of which with a low risk of bias. One study compared early surgery with prolonged conservative care followed by surgery if needed; three studies compared surgery with usual conservative care, and one study compared surgery with epidural injections. Data were not pooled because of clinical heterogeneity and poor reporting of data. One large low-risk-of-bias trial demonstrated that early surgery in patients with 6–12 weeks of radicular pain leads to faster pain relief when compared with prolonged conservative treatment, but there were no differences after 1 and 2 years. Another large low-risk-of-bias trial between surgery and usual conservative care found no statistically significant differences on any of the primary outcome measures after 1 and 2 years. Future studies should evaluate who benefits more from surgery and who from conservative care.     

Far-lateral disc herniations: the results of conservative management

The far-lateral herniated lumbar disc has become increasingly recognized as a cause for low back pain and lumbar radiculopathy as well as for "failed back syndrome" in certain improperly diagnosed cases. Several authors have reported that the majority of patients show poor response to conservative measures. To better understand the natural history, we performed a retrospective review of all lumbar herniated discs during a 3-year period, collecting 16 patients with 17 far-lateral disc herniations. All displayed radicular pain in the distribution of the root exiting at the same level as the herniated disc, with or without associated back pain. Twelve of the 17 disc herniations responded to conservative measures and had complete resolution of their radicular pain at follow-up. Also, at long-term follow-up, essentially all patients had experienced satisfactory subjective resolution of their weakness or sensory complaints. Five patients required surgery because of intractable pain despite conservative measures. Although our series for far-lateral disc herniations is small, we found that conservative measures do afford a relatively high nonoperative success rate of approximately 71%. This is in contrast to earlier implied or stated opinions indicating a low rate of successful nonoperative management as low as 10% in one series.     

The value of spinal computed tomography in diagnosis of herniated lumbar discs

Summary In this study the diagnostic value and topographical accuracy of spinal computed tomography (CT) in the preoperative diagnosis of lumbar disc herniations were tested in 36 patients with surgically proven herniated discs. All patients also underwent metrizamide myelography. CT findings and myelograms were compared and correlated with the surgical observations. Especially in demonstrating exact diagnosis (lateral or more medial protrusion), and in showing the extent of upward or downward displacement of free disc material, CT provides valuable preoperative information. As a non-invasive diagnostic procedure, spinal CT scan may replace lumbar myelography in many patients with radicular lumbar pain.     

Lumbar disc herniation regression after successful epidural steroid injection

In some lumbar disc herniation patients, noninvasive measures fail, necessitating more aggressive treatment, such as epidural steroid injections or surgery. This study sought to determine whether improvement in patients who receive epidural steroid injections is related to regression of herniated nucleus pulposus or whether such patients' symptoms decrease because of the steroid effect in the presence of continued herniated nucleus pulposus. Two nonoperatively treated patient cohorts were followed who had follow-up MRI. Specifically, 38 other patients who improved without invasive treatment within 6 weeks after the onset of their symptoms were compared with 20 patients who improved with epidural steroid injections. Results found that both groups had similar initial and follow-up herniated nucleus pulposus size and outcomes. The epidural steroid injection group had fewer sequestered or extruded herniations that resorbed, and most were of lower hydration. In conclusion, epidural steroid injections do not alter ultimate herniated nucleus pulposus regression. Patients in whom the disc herniation has less hydration may have prolonged symptoms, but many improve with epidural steroid injections.     

Successful resolution of signs and symptoms from L4 radiculopathy with spinal manipulation: a case report

The management of a patient with L4 radiculopathy with side posture spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is described. Dramatic improvement both subjectively and objectively followed a short course of SMT of the lumbar spine. This case is used to illustrate aspects of the natural history of lumbar discogenic radiculopathy, safety and effectiveness of SMT for disc herniations, diagnostic imaging, and differentiation of referred vs. radicular pain syndromes. Also included is a short summary of the safety and effectiveness of surgery for lumbar disc herniation. We conclude that side posture SMT in this case was safe and may be effective in the treatment of presumed lumbar spine disc herniation with L4 radiculopathy.     

The translaminar approach to canalicular and cranio-dorsolateral lumbar disc herniations

Summary. Summary.   Introduction: The interlaminar approach is the standard procedure for most disc herniations in lumbar spine surgery. However, in cranially extruded disc herniations including canalicular herniations, partial or complete facetectomy is necessary with increased risk of postoperative spinal instability. We present the translaminar technique which allows a more direct and less destructive operative approach.   Methods: 30 patients using the translaminar fenestration were analysed by a postoperative follow-up of 6 weeks and one year. The mean-age was 57.2 years. For resection of the disc herniation, a small round or oval fenestration (6–8 mm) in the hemilamina, craniomedially to the facet joint, was performed. No patient received a partial or total facetectomy.   Results: The majority of affected discs were at the L4-L5 level (53%). An extruded fragment was found in 28 patients (93%). In 5 patients bleeding from epidural veins complicated the intra-operative course. In 50% the nerve root was visually exposed. 15 patients (50%) had an intervertebral discectomy additional to the fragment excision.  One patient was re-operated on after 10 days because of persisting radicular pain by using the same translaminar approach. 28 patients showed complete or nearly complete relief of radicular pain. Using this approach we have seen no major complication or clinical instability during a follow-up of at least one year.   Conclusions: The translaminar approach is an effective and minimally invasive technique in both canalicular and cranio-dorsolateral disc herniations. It gives an additional possibility to avoid partial removal of the facet joints, can be performed in all lumbar segments and preserves structures important for segmental spinal stability. The approach allows access to the extruded disc fragment and intervertebral disc space comparable to classical approaches and is a frequently used operative technique in our department.     

Intradural lumbar disc herniation—Is it predictable preoperatively? A report of two cases

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Intradural disc herniations are thought to be rare events, and there have been relatively few literature reports of intradural disc herniations available with regard to magnetic resonance imaging findings. PURPOSE: The authors describe two patients with intradural lumbar disc herniations, one with and one without preoperative diagnosis, who had different postoperative outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Case study METHODS: The first patient underwent an extended L3 subtotal laminectomy followed by bilateral medial facetectomy and foraminotomy at L3-L4. A durotomy uncovered large disc fragments comprised of friable disc materials and end plates, after no clear disc herniation was found in the epidural space. The second patient underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusion after a preoperative diagnosis of intradural disc herniation. RESULTS: The first patient experienced a marked reduction of pain and progressive recovery of sensory disturbance, but neurologic examination showed right foot drop postoperatively. Two years after surgery, she can not walk without a cane because the neurologic deficit of the right ankle has shown no improvement. Two days after surgery, the second patient was allowed to ambulate with a lumbar orthosis. Neurologic examination showed no motor deficit. Twenty-one months after surgery, the patient reports minimal back pain when sitting on a chair for prolonged periods of time. CONCLUSION: Our cases highlight the importance of preoperative diagnosis in the treatment of intradural lumbar disc herniations. The potential presence of an intradural disc herniation must always be considered preoperatively on a patient whose magnetic resonance imaging study demonstrates the "hawk-beak sign" on axial imaging as well as abrupt loss of continuity of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL). This association results in an adequate surgical approach, thereby reducing the chance of postoperative neurologic deficit. Finally, anterior lumbar interbody fusion can be a reasonable alternative in the treatment of intradural lumbar disc herniations.     

Intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis versus microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation radiculopathy: a non–inferiority randomized control trial

BACKGROUND CONTEXTLow back pain with or without radicular leg pain is an extremely common health condition significantly impacting patient's activities and quality of life. When conservative management fails, epidural injections providing only temporary relief, are frequently utilized. Intradiscal oxygen-ozone may offer an alternative to epidural injections and further reduce the need for microdiscectomy.PURPOSETo compare the non–inferiority treatment status and clinical outcomes of intradiscal oxygen-ozone with microdiscectomy in patients with refractory radicular leg pain due to single-level contained lumbar disc herniations.STUDY DESIGN / SETTINGMulticenter pilot prospective non–inferiority blocked randomized control trial conducted in three European hospital spine centers.PATIENT SAMPLEForty-nine patients (mean 40 years of age, 17 females/32 males) with a single-level contained lumbar disc herniation, radicular leg pain for more than six weeks, and resistant to medical management were randomized, 25 to intradiscal oxygen-ozone and 24 to microdiscectomy. 88% (43 of 49) received their assigned treatment and constituted the AS-Treated (AT) population.OUTCOME MEASURESPrimary outcome was overall 6-month improvement over baseline in leg pain. Other validated clinical outcomes, including back numerical rating pain scores (NRS), Roland Morris Disability Index (RMDI) and EQ-5D, were collected at baseline, 1 week, 1-, 3-, and 6-months. Procedural technical outcomes were recorded and adverse events were evaluated at all follow-up intervals.METHODSOxygen-ozone treatment performed as outpatient day surgeries, included a one-time intradiscal injection delivered at a concentration of 35±3 μg/cc of oxygen-ozone by a calibrated delivery system. Discectomies performed as open microdiscectomy inpatient surgeries, were without spinal instrumentation, and not as subtotal microdiscectomies. Primary analyses with a non–inferiority margin of -1.94-point difference in 6-month cumulative weighted mean leg pain NRS scores were conducted using As-Treated (AT) and Intent-to-Treat (ITT) populations. In post hoc analyses, differences between treatment groups in improvement over baseline were compared at each follow-up visit, using baseline leg pain as a covariate.RESULTSIn the primary analysis, the overall 6-month difference between treatment groups in leg pain improvement using the AT population was -0.31 (SE, 0.84) points in favor of microdiscectomy and using the ITT population, the difference was 0.32 (SE, 0.88) points in favor of oxygen-ozone. The difference between oxygen-ozone and microdiscectomy did not exceed the non–inferiority 95% confidence lower limit of treatment difference in either the AT (95% lower limit, -1.72) or ITT (95% lower limit, -1.13) populations. Both treatments resulted in rapid and statistically significant improvements over baseline in leg pain, back pain, RMDI, and EQ-5D that persisted in follow-up. Between group differences were not significant for any outcomes. During 6-month follow-up, 71% (17 of 24) of patients receiving oxygen-ozone, avoided microdiscectomy. The mean procedure time for oxygen-ozone was significantly faster than microdiscectomy by 58 minutes (p<.0010) and the mean discharge time from procedure was significantly shorter for the oxygen-ozone procedure (4.3±2.9 hours vs. 44.2±29.9 hours, p<.001). No major adverse events occurred in either treatment group.CONCLUSIONSIntradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis for single-level lumbar disc herniations unresponsive to medical management, met the non–inferiority criteria to microdiscectomy on 6-month mean leg pain improvement. Both treatment groups achieved similar rapid significant clinical improvements that persisted and overall, 71% undergoing intradiscal oxygen-ozone were able to avoid surgery.     

Transforaminal injection of autologous platelet-rich plasma for lumbar disc herniation: A single-center prospective study in Vietnam

ObjectiveLumbar radiculopathy is a major health problem, which often treated by neurosurgery or guided lumbar epidural steroids for pain relief. We used autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as a novel pharmaceutical agent that has strongly emerged in recent years to treat patients of lumbar disc herniation. From that, we evaluated the efficacy of PRP via transforaminal route in treatment of radicular pain in patients with lumbar disc herniation.MethodsTwenty-five patients were enrolled and injected with 4 ml of autologous platelet rich plasma under fluoroscopic guidance via transforaminal epidural injection into area of affected nerve root. They were followed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Modified Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Straight Leg Raising Test (SLRT) for clinical assessment.ResultsPatients who received transforaminal injections with autologous PRP showed statistically significant improvements on all three evaluation tools (VAS, ODI, SLRT). The improvements were sustained over twelve-month follow-up and there were no associated complications.ConclusionTransforaminal injection with autologous PRP helps patients relieve chronic pains and be able return to work. Besides, autologous PRP can be considered as a good alternative to epidural steroids in management of lumbar disc herniation.     

A retrospective analysis of the efficacy of epidural steroid injections

Forty patients were studied retrospectively to evaluate the effect of epidural steroid injections on low back pain and sciatica characteristic of spinal stenosis or a herniated lumbar disc. All but one of these patients had radicular symptoms. The average age was 55 years, and the average follow-up time was eight months. All patients were injected by the same anesthesiologist with 2 cc of Depomedrol-40. Thirty-six patients received either one, two, or three injections. Four patients received either four or five injections. The overall results were poor, with about 60% of patients reporting varying degrees of relief from leg and back pain immediately after injection. However, at follow-up examination, only 24% were asymptomatic; 40% reported no change in preinjection numbness, weakness, or pain; and approximately 35% had varying degrees of relief with no consistent pattern. Of those who had complete relief, there was no correlation between relief of pain, age, or number of injections. From this study, it appears that approximately 50% of patients with radicular symptoms may receive temporary relief with steroid injection. However, long-term relief occurs in less than 25% of patients.     

Lumbar disc herniation in patients with developmental spinal stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis and lumbar disc herniation are usually regarded as two pathogenetically different conditions, but in the literature lumbar disc herniation in patients with developmental spinal stenosis has been rarely documented. In a clinical retrospective study, 42 lumbar disc herniations with developmental spinal stenosis were reported and analyzed. Discectomy was performed after laminotomy. The patients were followed-up for an average of 4.4 years (range 2–7 years). The preoperative symptoms disappeared completely in 28 patients, in 13 patients some degree of backache remained although their nerve root pain had been relieved, and in 1 patient intermittent claudication reappeared after 6 years resolution of their preoperative pain. We conclude that when developmental spinal stenosis is combined with disc herniation, discectomy through laminotomy rather than laminectomy is usually sufficient for decompression.     

Whole cerebrospinal axis infection after lumbar epidural injection: a case report

Purpose

Lumbar epidural injection is a popular treatment for degenerative lumbar disease. Although post-procedural epidural infection is rare, meningitis and epidural abscess are life-threatening conditions, and need additional medical and surgical intervention. The purpose of this article is to report a patient with fatal whole cerebrospinal axis infection after lumbar epidural injections.

Methods

A 64-year-old female patient presented with septic shock and quadriparesis. In the past, this patient had received lumbar epidural injections several times for degenerative spondylolisthesis at L4-5 in another hospital. The magnetic resonance imaging showed epidural abscess, a compressed dura and spinal cord from C1 to S2, and cerebral meningitis. We performed laminectomies and removal of the abscesses. Her mental status was diminished to a deep, drowsy state after three postoperative weeks. Brain computed tomography scans revealed hydrocephalus. Therefore, ventriculoperitoneal shunting was performed.

Results

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis was cultured from blood samples. The patient’s infection was completely controlled and her mental status improved to alert; however, her quadriparesis remained.

Conclusions

Although lumbar epidural injection is an effective procedure to treat lumbar radicular pain, this procedure can induce fatal complications such as sepsis and epidural abscess.

Level of evidence

5.

     

Dor radicular causada por nódulo de Schmorl: relato de caso

Schmörl's node is focal herniation of intervertebral disc through the end plate into the vertebral body. Most of the established Schmörl's nodes are quiescent. However, disc herniation into the vertebral marrow can cause low back pain by irritating a nociceptive system. Schmörl's node induced radicular pain is very rare condition. Some cases of Schmörl's node which generated low back pain or radicular pain were treated by surgical methods. In this article, authors reported a rare case of a patient with radicular pain cause by Schmörl's node located inferior surface of the 5 th lumbar spine. The radicular pain was alleviated by serial 5 th lumbar transforamnial epidural blocks. Transforamnial epidural block is suggested as first conservative option to treat radicular pain due to herniation of intervertebral disc. Therefore, non‐surgical treatment such as transforamnial epidural block can be considered first treatment option of radicular pain caused by Schmörl's node.     

Lumbar epidural perineural injection: a new technique

Two controlled studies for a new epidural, perineural, singleshot, selective nerve root injection with a double-needle approach to the anterior epidural space of the lumbar spinal canal are presented. The results were analysed to determine the effectiveness of the new epidural perineural injection technique. The trial comprised two controlled studies on 182 patients. One study compared prospectively randomized results of patients with lumbar radicular syndromes who received epidural perineural injections (n = 47), conventional posterior epidural injections (n = 40) and, as a control group, paravertebral local anaesthetic (n = 46). A second, prospective, double-blind study compared the effect of epidural perineural injections with triamcinolone (n = 24) and pure saline (n = 25). Epidural perineural injections were more effective than conventional posterior epidural injections. Both epidural groups had better results than the paravertebral local injection group. Epidural perineural injections with steroids (10 mg triamcinolone) were more effective than saline alone. A systemic steroid effect was excluded by additional intramuscular steroid injections in the saline group. There were no severe complications or side effects in any of the three groups. The studies concluded that single-shot epidural perineural injection is effective in the treatment of lumbar radicular pain. It is a one drop only therapy to the source of pain.     

Posterior epidural migration of an extruded free fragment from a lumbar disc herniation

The majority of symptomatic lumbar disc herniations are located in a posterolateral position with resultant nerve root compression. Although caudal, rostral and lateral migrations of disc fragments are common, posterior epidural migration of an extruded free fragment from a lumbar disc herniation is a rare occurrence and sometimes may cause a dural sac compression with cauda equina syndrome. This retrospective case report describes a 63-year-old man with intractable lower back pain and cauda equina syndrome. Emergency magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a posterior epidural soft tissue compressing the dural sac. The lesion was hypointense on T1-weighted images, hyperintense on T2-weighted images and showed rim enhancement after intravenous injection of gadolinium. A laminectomy at L3 was performed and the extruded disc fragment was removed with dural sac decompression. Postoperatively the patient's radicular symptoms completely resolved. At the 2-year follow-up visit, the patient had recovered full motor, sensory and urinary functions. MRI is the modality of choice in the evaluation of an extruded free disc fragment and a cauda equina compression. In such cases a wide decompressive laminectomy is recommended. Received: 13 November 2000; Accepted: 4 December 2000     

腰椎间盘源性疼痛机理的临床研究

目的 :分析腰椎间盘突出症病人的临床症状、体征与椎间盘和神经根大体病理形态改变的关系 ,临床症状、体征和椎间盘突出类型与髓核中炎症介质 (磷脂酶A2 )水平的关系以及临床症状、体征和椎间盘突出类型与脑脊液 (以下简称CSF)中神经肽类递质变化的关系。从临床角度探讨腰椎间盘突出症疼痛机理。材料与方法 :分析161例腰椎间盘突出病人的髓核突出类型及神经根病理形态改变与腰腿痛程度的关系 ;分析 2 0例腰椎间盘髓核组织中磷脂酶A2 活性水平与神经根性疼痛程度的关系 ;3 1例腰椎间盘突出症病人脑脊液中P物质和降钙素基因相关肽含量与神经根性疼痛程度进行比较。结果 :①腰椎间盘的膨出、突出、脱出和脱出游离各组之间无疼痛程度的统计学显著差异。而神经根呈急性炎症反应的病人中重度疼痛高达 80 % (P <0 .0 1)。②腰椎间盘突出症病人椎间盘髓核中磷脂酶A2 活性显著高于自身血液中和健康人椎间盘髓核中磷脂酶A2 活性水平 ,腰椎间盘突出症病人的腰腿痛程度与其髓核中磷脂酶A2 活性明显相关。③腰痛病人脑脊液中P物质和降钙素基因相关肽水平高于正常对照组 ,并与疼痛等级有关。结论 :①腰椎间盘突出物的病理形态和对神经根的机械压迫与其引起的临床疼痛症状和神经根体征无明确关系 ,而神经根性疼痛与局部     

Periradicular therapy in lumbar radicular syndromes: Methodology and results

Summary Periradicular therapy (PRT) has become popular in the treatment of lumbar radicular complaints, both primary, due to disc herniations (Group 1), and postoperative, following disc surgery (Group 2). However, hitherto repored data on periradicular injections are more of a technical nature. The present study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic success of CT-versus fluoroscope-guided periradicular injections of local anaesthetics and corticoids, and to investigate the impact of imaging procedures on the results. We report on 80 patients who underwent CT-guided (n=40) or fluoroscope-guided (n=40) PRT for lumbar radicular irritation since April 1993. Forty patients had primary nerve root irritation due to disc protrusion, and 40 suffered from postoperative epidural fibrosis. Follow-up consisted in a clinical examination and an interview one day after each injection as well as 1 and 6 months later. Assessment was based on a score taking into account the clinical findings, the patient's complaints, and the patient's evaluation.Six months following treatment there was a significant reduction of ischialgia in both Groups 1 and 2 (p < 0.001). However, the results were significantly poorer in Group 2 (postoperative). Among the patients not operated on, those who underwent CT-guided injections had a significantly better outcome (p < 0.001). PRT had no significant influence on low back pain or pseudoradicular syndromes. The improvement of sensory disturbances achieved by both CT- and fluoroscope-guided injections in patients not previously submitted to surgery is statistically significant (p < 0.05). As compared to Group 1 (no surgery), the positive effects in patients of Group 2 were of significantly shorter duration (p<0.05). Motor deficits were not influenced by the treatment. Long-term follow-up shows that there is no positive effect in those patients in whom the first two PRT attempts had failed. Thus, PRT represents a useful long-term therapeutic alternative for lumbar radicular syndromes, particularly when due to primary discogenic compression. CT-guided injection is superior to fluoroscope-assisted treatment for both its visualization and its longer-lasting effect.     

Surgical management of giant lumbar disc herniation: Analysis of 154 patients over a decade

BackgroundWe describe a decade of our experience in the surgical management of patients with giant lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (GILID).MethodsThis is a case series of patients operated for a GILID between 2000 and 2009. Among 1334 patients eligible for the present study: 154 patients presented with GILID (study group) and 1180 patients without GILID (control group). Clinical symptoms and preoperative imaging results were obtained from medical records. Complications and long-term results were assessed.ResultsThis retrospective study documents the characteristic features between patients with and without GILID. The difference in the incidence of female patients was statistically significant between the study group and the control group as was the mean duration of symptoms, hyperalgic radicular pain, bilaterality of symptoms, preoperative motor deficit, central location of lumbar disc herniation (LDH), contained herniation and recurrence of LDH.ConclusionsGILIDs are a distinct entity: they are distinctly uncommon compared with smaller herniations, patients were statistically more likely to be hyperalgic with bilateral radicular pain and often associated with neurological deficits. The majority of patients do not display a cauda equina syndrome (CES). Low lumbar disc sites are mostly affected and disc fragments are more likely to be central-uncontained. The recurrence rate is lower for GILIDs.