Unilateral facetectomy approach for lateral lumbar disc herniation

1991 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 754-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddy Garrido ◽  
P. Noel Connaughton

✓ Forty-one patients with herniated lumbar discs in a lateral location underwent unilateral complete facetectomy for removal of their disc herniation. The diagnosis was made by computerized tomography in all patients. The follow-up period varied between 4 and 60 months, with an average of 22.4 months. All patients underwent dynamic lumbar spine x-ray films with flexion and extension exposures at various times during their follow-up period. The results were excellent in 35 patients, good in three, and poor in three. One patient suffered spinal instability postoperatively and required lumbar fusion because of back pain. Unilateral facetectomy gives an excellent view of the affected nerve root and the herniated disc, and the risk of spinal instability is very low.

1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Wilberger ◽  
Dachling Pang

✓ Lumbar myelographic defects consistent with herniated disc were found in 108 asymptomatic patients undergoing myelography for other reasons. Within 3 years, 64% of these patients developed symptoms of lumbosacral radiculopathy. The clinical features of these patients comprise a syndrome significantly different from that typically associated with classical lumbar disc herniation: the syndrome described here carries a much higher incidence of silent root compression with minimal pain. Incidental lumbar myelographic defects are not necessarily benign findings, and patients in whom they are encountered deserve close clinical follow-up review and appropriate treatment if the defects become symptomatic.


2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuniyoshi Abumi ◽  
Yasuhiro Shono ◽  
Yoshihisa Kotani ◽  
Kiyoshi Kaneda

Object. In this study the authors retrospectively review 16 patients with traumatic disc herniation secondary to middle and lower cervical spine injuries who underwent a single posterior reduction and fusion procedure in which a cervical pedicle screw system was used. The study was undertaken to evaluate whether the procedure effectively reduced the disc herniation and whether it can be safely conducted without performing anterior decompressive surgery. Methods. A total of 73 patients with middle and lower cervical spine injuries were identified. In 50 patients, pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained, and disc herniation was defined as the presence of an extruded disc that deformed the thecal sac or nerve roots. Traumatic disc herniation was revealed in 16 patients (32%) who underwent a single posterior reduction/fusion procedure in which a cervical pedicle screw system was used. The average follow-up period was 4.25 years (2–6.25 years). In all patients the average kyphotic deformity was 18°, which was corrected to 0.7° lordosis postoperatively. Anterior translation was reduced from 8 to 0.7 mm. The preoperative disc height ratio of 63% (normal 100%) was improved to 104%. Preoperative MR images revealed traumatic disc herniation in all 16 patients; postsurgery, reduction or reversal of disc herniation was observed in all patients. Thecal sac and/or spinal cord compression had disappeared after indirect decompression was achieved using a posterior procedure. No additional decompressive procedures were required to remove residual herniated disc material. Preoperatively, four patients presented with cervical radiculopathy, 10 with myelopathy (eight incomplete and two complete), and two without neurological symptoms. At final follow up, complete recovery was observed in all four patients with radiculopathy and improvement of at least one Frankel grade was shown in six patients (60%) with myelopathy. There were no cases of neurological deterioration immediately after surgery or during the course of the follow-up period. In all patients solid bone union was demonstrated, and there were no implant-related complications. Conclusions. Traumatic disc herniation may occur frequently in association with injury of the cervical spine. The incidence of traumatic disc herniation in our series was 32%. The cervical pedicle screw system allowed three-dimensional reduction of the injured cervical segment and reduction or reversal of a disc herniation. After surgery, compression of the thecal sac and/or spinal cord had disappeared. The cervical pedicle screw system provides effective and safe fixation of the cervical spine injury—related traumatic disc herniation, and the surgery can be performed safely in a single posteriorapproach procedure without need of additional anterior decompressive interventions.


2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akbar Farzannia ◽  
Ghaffar Shokouhi ◽  
Shahram Hadidchi

✓ Alkaptonuria is a rare metabolic disease caused by deficiency of homogentisic acid oxidase and characterized by bluish-black discoloration of cartilages and skin (ochronosis). The authors report the cases of three patients with lumbar disc herniation who underwent discectomy and in whom the nucleus pulposus was discovered to be black. Alkaptonuria was diagnosed after discectomy. Discal herniation requiring surgery is unusual in alkaptonuria, with only a few reports. The symptoms in the three patients disappeared after surgery and no symptoms were demonstrated on follow-up examination.


2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øystein P. Nygaard ◽  
Roar Kloster ◽  
Tore Solberg

Object. The aim of this study was to investigate different variables in the duration of symptoms that can be used to predict outcome after lumbar microdiscectomy. Methods. In a prospective study of 132 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for lumbar disc herniation, the authors evaluated the prognostic value of different variables in the duration of symptoms for the 1-year period after surgery. The 1-year follow-up investigation was conducted by an independent observer. Assessment of outcome was performed using a clinical overall score (COS), which was recently assessed for its reliability and validity. As for factors predictive of outcome, only duration of leg pain and sick leave reached statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. Results of the univariate analysis demonstrated that in patients experiencing preoperative leg pain fewer than 4 months and between 4 and 8 months, a significantly lower COS at the 1-year follow up was demonstrated compared with those in whom the duration of leg pain was longer (> 8 months). One hundred eight patients returned to work within the 1st year after surgery. Patients who took a sick leave of more than 28 weeks before the operation were at higher risk of not returning to work. Conclusions. Analysis of these results indicates that leg pain lasting more than 8 months correlates with an unfavorable postoperative outcome in patients with lumbar disc herniation, as well as a high risk of not returning to work.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Porchet ◽  
Anne Chollet-Bornand ◽  
Nicolas de Tribolet

Object. This study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term benefit in 202 patients who were surgically treated via a microsurgical far-lateral approach for foraminal or extraforaminal lumbar disc herniations. Methods. All patients underwent surgery at the authors' institute since 1987 and represented 6.5% of all lumbar spinal disc surgeries. There were 67 women and 135 men who ranged in age from 19 to 78 years (mean age 58 years). All patients had unilateral leg pain due to lumbar disc herniations into or lateral to the lateral interpedicular compartment. One patient underwent surgery at the L1–2 level, nine at L2–3, 48 at L3–4, 86 at L4–5, and 58 at the L5—S1 level. The mean follow-up period was 50 months (range 12–120 months). Outcome was defined as excellent (no pain), good (some back pain), fair (moderate radiculopathy), and poor (unchanged or worse) based on Macnab classification. Overall, excellent and good results were achieved in 62 (31%) and 85 (42%) patients, respectively, and fair and poor results in 40 (20%) and 15 (7%) patients, respectively. Of 11 recurrent disc herniations, four presented in an extreme-lateral position, five in a paramedian location, and two on the contralateral side. There were three minor complications related to surgery, seven general complications, and no case of spinal instability. Conclusions. The far-lateral approach is a safe, effective procedure that avoids the risk of secondary spinal instability.


1985 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 662-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manucher J. Javid

✓ A 9- to 12-year follow-up review was conducted in 105 of 124 patients who were treated with chymopapain chemonucleolysis for herniated lumbar disc. The data were obtained from responses to a questionnaire. Seventy-nine patients (75.2%) reported marked improvement, six (5.7%) had slight improvement, and 20 (19.0%) had no improvement. Of the 87 patients not receiving workman's compensation, 70 patients (80.5%) had marked improvement; four (4.6%) had slight improvement; and 13 (14.9%) had no improvement. Of the 18 compensation cases, nine patients (50.0%) had marked improvement; two patients (11.1%) had slight improvement; and seven patients (38.9%) had no improvement. These results are comparable to those reported for surgical discectomy, and confirm that chymopapain chemonucleolysis is an alternative to surgery.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Kanayama ◽  
Tomoyuki Hashimoto ◽  
Keiichi Shigenobu ◽  
Fumihiro Oha ◽  
Shigeru Yamane

Object. Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a chemical mediator associated with nucleus pulposus—induced radiculopathy. Inhibition of 5-HT receptors may potentially alleviate symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation. This prospective randomized controlled study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the 5-HT2A receptor inhibitor in the treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation. Methods. Forty patients with sciatica due to L4–5 or L5—S1 disc herniation were randomly allocated to treatment with the 5-HT2A inhibitor (sarpogrelate 300 mg/day) or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; diclofenac 75 mg/day). Low-back pain, leg pain, and numbness were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) before and after a 2-week course of treatment. The patients received only allocated medicine during the 2-week regimen and were thereafter allowed to choose any treatment options depending on their residual symptoms. One-year clinical outcomes were assessed based on the rates of additional medical interventions. The mean VAS score improvements in the 5-HT2A and NSAID groups were 33 and 46% for low-back pain, 32 and 32% for leg pain, and 35 and 22% for leg numbness, respectively. After the 2-week regimen, no additional medical interventions were required in 50% of 5-HT2A—treated patients and 15% of those receiving NSAIDs. Epidural or nerve root block procedures were performed in 35% of the 5-HT2A group and 45% of the NSAID group. Surgery was required in 20% of the 5-HT2A group and 30% of the NSAID group patients. Conclusions. The current study provided evidence that the efficacy of the 5-HT2A inhibitor was comparable with that of NSAID therapy for lumbar disc herniation. The 5-HT2A inhibitor has the potential to alleviate symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation.


1981 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 480-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Fisher ◽  
Richard L. Saunders

✓ Forty-three cases of surgically treated lumbar disc protrusion in patients 21 years or younger are analyzed. The results were generally good. Ten percent of the patients required reoperation within 3 years. No major complications were experienced. Follow-up observation ranged from 4 to 30 years. Disc protrusion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children with back and sciatic pain, and early myelography should be carried out in the refractory case. The symptoms, signs, myelograms, and surgical findings are usually similar to those of the adult patient with a disc protrusion.


2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoaki Kinoshita ◽  
Isao Ohki ◽  
Kenneth R. Roth ◽  
Kageharu Amano ◽  
Hideshige Moriya

Object. The purpose of this study was to assess radiologically demonstrated results and clinical outcomes in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis who underwent posterior decompressive surgery via a new (unilateral) approach. This approach allows surgeons to perform central and bilateral decompression while only stripping the muscles unilaterally, thus preserving the posterior osteoligamentous complexes. Methods. The authors evaluated 51 consecutive patients in whom surgery was performed between 1987 and 1996. The mean follow-up period was 4.7 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the pre- and postoperative measurements in percentage of vertebral slippage. Postoperative dynamic angulation statistically decreased compared with its preoperative value (p < 0.05). Improvement of an average of 67% was shown on the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale, and in 78% of these patients, good to excellent results were demonstrated. Secondary fusion was required in only three patients (5.9%). Conclusions. This new surgical technique offers a potential alternative for the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis in a minimally invasive manner, avoiding the risk of causing or aggravating postoperative spinal instability.


1971 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 488-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Balaparameswara Rao ◽  
I. Dinakar ◽  
K. Sreenivasa Rao

✓ A 25-year-old man with left-sided sciatica, in whom the cerebrospinal fluid and x-ray films of the spine were normal, was diagnosed as having a L5-S1 disc prolapse. At surgery extradural, extraosseous granulation tissue was removed, which histologically proved to be a tuberculous granuloma.


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